Materials and Links

Objectives:

To address key questions regarding and potential methods for surveillance of HIV drug resistance in North America.  

Background:

HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) is a reality accompanying HIV treatment and has the potential to seriously undermine treatment programs. Drug resistance may be acquired at time of infection (transmitted HIV drug resistance) or developed while on treatment, these two mechanisms not being mutually exclusive.

Studies to estimate baseline HIVDR prevalence have been performed in small, unrepresentative groups generally diagnosed in centers of excellence rather than in public settings with a wider racial/ethnic and risk factor distribution. No national discussions have taken place on the public health uses and optimal methods for HIVDR surveillance and monitoring in either newly diagnosed persons or patients receiving antiretroviral treatment. A surveillance system designed to produce estimates based on representative samples would require substantial resources, but could answer important public health questions. Both the uses to which the data would be put, and the methods, should be carefully specified to justify the resources required. The Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, CDC, and Health Canada will bring together experts to discuss HIVDR surveillance and monitoring issues, and to recommend methods of integrating surveillance and monitoring into the current HIV surveillance system.

Status:

An expert roundtable discussion followed by a discussion of the implementation of the recommendations in city, state and provincial Departments of Health, will be held on October 18-20, 2004.

The Steering Committee for this project includes Chris Archibald (Health Canada), Diane Bennett (CDC), Walid Heneine (CDC), Susan Little (University of California, San Diego), Veronica Miller (Forum for Collaborative HIV Research) and Eve Mokotoff (US Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists).

Scientific chairs:

Project specific sponsors: