EuropeHIVResistance - European cohort coordinating network on HIV drug resistance

EC contribution: : € 1.499.336
Duration: : 48 months
Starting date: : 01/03/2006
Funding scheme: : Coordinated Action
Keywords: : HIV; drug-resistance; surveillance; transmission; Europe; prevention
Contract/Grant agreement number: : LSHP-CT-2006-518211
Project web-site: : http://www.spread-europe.org/

Background:

This coordination action will be the creation and maintenance of a pan-European cohort (including Central- and Eastern European countries) by a network of virological reference centres in over 30 European countries. This network will study the appearance, spread and clinical consequences of HIV resistance under joint standards and linked to a common shared self sustainable database.

In addition to coordinating the cohort on HIV resistance, active exchange of good practices and standards is sought with the other European HIV/Aids cohorts studying morbidity and mortality of HIV/Aids both in adults and children, mother-to-child transmission, through strategic meetings with coordinators of PENTA, ECS, CASCADE, EuroSIDA, the European Commission, EU Centre of Disease Control (ECDC) and the WHO.

By the actions proposed in this coordination action, a major contribution is being made to (i) decreasing the fragmentation of HIV resistance surveillance and research in Central- and Eastern Europe, (ii) increasing the level of virological expertise and skills in HIV resistance in this region and (iii) the desired exchange of good practices between the HIV/AIDS cohorts in Europe and the WHO.

This increased coordination made possible by EuropeHIVResistance will lead to new coordinated data and knowledge on transmission, prevalence and factors facilitating the emergence and spread of drug resistant HIV in Europe, providing the pharmaceutical industry, scientific community and public health authorities with valuable new input for the development of new drugs, new treatment recommendations, intervention programmes and prophylactic guidelines necessary to effectively confront the global emergency caused by HIV.

Problem:

Human immunodeficiency viruses resistant to one or more antiretroviral drugs are spreading throughout the world. Reports are indicating that virological outcome may be compromised after primary infection with drug resistant HIV. A major concern is a future situation, in which no effective antiretroviral drugs will be available for newly infected patients.

Aim:

Establishment of follow up of HIV drug resistance within a network of national virological, epidemiological and clinical centres across Europe. The aim is to create a large pan-European cohort for studying the appearance, spread, virological determinants and clinical consequences of HIV resistance under joint standards linked to a common shared self-sustainable database.

Expected and obtained results:

The EuropeHIVResistance network will make a major contribution through (i) expansion of HIV-drug resistance surveillance and follow-up activities to a pan-European level (ii) decreasing the fragmentation of HIV resistance research in Central- and Eastern Europe, (iii) increasing the level of virological expertise and skills in HIV resistance in this region and (iv) the desired exchange of good practices between the HIV/AIDS cohorts in Europe.

Potential applications:

This network will help to develop better guidelines for treatment and prevention of HIV as well as for preventing transmission of drug resistant HIV variants.

Coordinator:

Dr Charles Boucher
University Medical Center Utrecht
Department of Virology G04.614
Heidelberglaan 100
3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands
C.Boucher@umcutrecht.nl

SMEs

Alice Posthumus-Plantinga
Virology Education
Utrecht, Netherlands

Dr Shalom Sayada
Advanced Biological Laboratories SA
Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Dr Paul Wallace
Quality Control for Molecular Diagnostics
Glasgow, Scotland, UK

European Commission