TREAT Asia Represented at Key HIV/AIDS Conferences

July 2009–TREAT Asia will play an active role this summer at major international HIV/AIDS conferences, including the 5th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Cape Town, South Africa, and the 9th International Conference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) in Bali.

At the IAS Conference in Cape Town, 19–22 July, TREAT Asia-affiliated IAS poster presenters will include Dr. Rawiwan Hansudewechakul of the TREAT Asia Pediatric Observational Database, who will present "Antiretroviral therapy outcomes in HIV-positive children in Asia: Data from the TREAT Asia Pediatric HIV Observational Database." Dr. Julian Zhou of the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD) will present "Short-term risk of anemia following initiation of antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected patients in countries from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia." In addition, TREAT Asia Director Dr. Annette Sohn will speak on HIV research and laboratory networks in Asia at a 21 July satellite session to raise awareness about south-south networks.

At ICAAP, which will be held 9–13 August, Hua Boonyapisomparn, coordinator of TREAT Asia's MSM program, will give a plenary presentation entitled "Strengthening health systems through greater involvement of community." TREAT Asia Community Program Manager Jennifer Ho will present a poster entitled "PLHIV involvement in clinical care and support—A case study of TREAT Asia-AIDS Care China's Red Ribbon Centers."

In addition, Dr. Julian Elliott and Dr. Zhou will present a poster entitled "Performance of WHO-defined immunological and clinical criteria for diagnosis of HIV treatment failure: An analysis of the Asia-Pacific HIV Observational Databases (APHOD)." APHOD contains data from TAHOD and the Australian HIV Observational Database.