First International Conference on Therapies for Viral Hepatitis.

AIDS: The First International Conference on Therapies for Viral Hepatitis, held in December 1995, brought together researchers, clinicians, and pharmaceutical manufacturers devoted to finding more effective ways to treat several varieties of hepatitis. Hepatitis B (HBV) affects an estimated 300 to 350 million people; up to 25 percent of that number will die of liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. The only currently available treatment is interferon, which is effective in only forty percent of the cases and has dose-limiting side effects. Nucleoside analog drugs have gained increasing attention because of their use in treating opportunistic infections in HIV-positive patients. Hepatitis C (HCV) affects only 75 to 100 million but is potentially more dangerous, since 85 percent of those with the disease will develop persistent and chronic liver infections and 70 percent will develop chronic liver disease. Hepatitis D (HDV) requires HBV for its replication cycle, and appears to respond to treatment for HBV. However, interferon is not effective in cases where the patient has both HBV and HDV. Hepatitis G (HGV) causes transfusion-associated non-ABC hepatitis with mild symptoms, and it is unclear if HGV causes chronic liver disease. Regimens for chronic viral hepatitis are desperately needed.^ieng

Highlights of the Fourth International Workshop on HIV Drug Resistance.

AIDS: Some of the developments from the Fourth International Workshop on HIV Drug Resistance, held in July 1995, are discussed. The following areas are summarized: antiretroviral therapy and the immune system; the structural and functional implications of antiretroviral drug resistance; identification of resistance to new agents and its genetic determinants; the emergence of resistance during combination therapy and its genetic determinants; and the clinical significance of drug resistance and drug resistance mutations. Other areas briefly highlighted are zidovudine and viral load reductions, and the results from DDI and hydroxyurea combination therapy, which show significant reduction in plasma RNA load.^ieng