LINES OF ADVANCES IN HIV RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY SCIENTIFIC TEAMS IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Abstract

The general picture of HIV epidemic in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia is presented, and the factors that influenced the development of AIDS-related services in the Russian Federation and determined the main directions of clinical, scientific and educational projects development are analyzed. The main trends of basic HIV-related research in Russia include HAART studies, such as estimating the effectiveness of drugs, determining the adverse effects of drugs, testing novel therapeutic regimens, and developing domestic drugs. Epidemiological studies are still topical in the Russian Federation because of persistent differences in HIV prevalence between regions. So far, only general notions about the territorial differences in the dynamics of HIV epidemic, the routes of HIV transmission, and the roles of defined population groups in HIV spread are available. HIV studies in the field of maternity and childhood are important in Russia as far as they help preventing the perinatal HIV transmission. These studies relate to family planning, HAART, and HIV prevention in women before they have children. Of unfading interest for researchers are projects related to concomitant HIV, hepatitis virus and M. tuberculosis infections because the problem is large-scale, patients are numerous, and their death rate is high. Starting from 1990s, studies of HIV patient behavior and psychology go on, and educational interdisciplinary programs are being developed with the aimed to work out comprehensive approaches to HIV treatment. One of the major themes of current and prospective HIV research are cormobid conditions, i.e., combinations of HIV infection with CNS lesions, somatic and oncological diseases, severe liver damage, mental disorders etc., because the prevalence of severe and cormobid HIV cases increases. This increase is promoted by pronounced immunosuppression and somatic and systemic pathologies resulting, despite of HAART, in high death rates among such cases.