The ultimate goal is to conduct research to enhance capacity to control HIV transmission and effectively manage cases of HIV/AIDS in Egypt. Specifically, the project's aims are to plan and implement comprehensive efforts for developing and evaluating practical, affordable and culturally acceptable methods to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) will collaborate with the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and other institutions in Egypt to establish an HIV/AIDS Research Center (HRC) within the MOHP to develop an application for a CIPRA Multi-Project U19 Research Grant. As part of the planning process, the MOHP will form an external advisory body and hold two planning workshops to develop an action plan as follows: Project 1: establish core infrastructure for administrative, epidemiological, informatics, biostatistical, training and organizational support; Project 2: establish core infrastructure for an HIV Reference Laboratory; Project 3: evaluate efficient methods to ascertain HIV/AIDS prevalence and incidence; Project 4: develop, implement and evaluate cost-effective means of treatment; and Project 5: develop, implement and evaluate effective and acceptable means of prevention. Important and unique issues to be addressed include: (1) the interaction of HCV, HBV, and schistosomiasis on hepatic morbidity caused by HIV and the effects of treating HIV in patients with concomitant infections; (2) learn about the root causes of discrimination against HIV positive individuals and devise ways to prevent such occurrences; and (3) integrating HIV prevention with prevention of other highly relevant blood-borne infections, including HCV. Egypt is the largest Islamic country in the Middle East and HIV/AIDS reporting is incomplete. HIV is increasing for many reasons, including a failure to develop a national prevention program. Therefore, it is important to obtain base-line data for developing and implementing methods to prevent HIV infection. There is no national source for, or standardized method of treatment for HIV/AIDS. Few, if any, physicians are familiar with the HAART regimen. There is an urgent need to implement evidence-based prevention and treatment programs in the country.
