Microbicides 2004 Microbicides 200428-31 March 2004, Hilton London MetropoleThe conference42 million men, women and children worldwide were living with HIV by the end of December 2002 (source: UNAIDS), including five million newly-infected during that year alone. Another 45 million people will become infected between 2002 and 2010, unless the current transmission rates can be vastly reduced. Of the 42 million, 29.4 million live in sub-Saharan Africa and 58% of them are women. Not only are women more susceptible to HIV infection, many are powerless to insist on the use of condoms or other methods of protecting themselves. In this context, and with the knowledge that an effective HIV vaccine is unlikely to be available for several years, the need for an effective topical microbicide grows ever more urgent. 2004 should prove to be a landmark year in the field of microbicide development as the first Phase III trials of novel products are due to start – the next step along the road to making a microbicide available to the millions worldwide in desperate need of protection.The aims of the Microbicides 2004 conference are to:Report novel or innovative work in the microbicides fieldProvide updates on recent microbicides research, divided into three tracks: basic science, clinical science, and behavioural science (including public health and the microbicide marketplace)Provide a forum for the discussion of new developments in microbicide research including ethical, clinical, behavioural and methodological issuesPresent opportunities for knowledge-sharing between microbicide researchers, public-health workers and advocacy organisations.There will be an opening ceremony on the evening of Sunday 28 March at which politicians, policy makers and the international media are expected. The conference will run for a full three days, each of which will contain:Scientific overviews and presentations with plenary sessions, invited lecturers and presentations of original researchWorkshops to review issues unique to microbicides such as trial design and outcome measures, and ethical issues in the clinical trials of microbicidesPoster sessions. Focus on LondonFollowing the successful Microbicides conferences in Washington in 2000 and Antwerp in 2002, March 2004 sees the focus move to London.The venue is the Hilton Metropole Hotel, two minutes by taxi from Paddington station and the Heathrow Express, with a journey time from the airport of 15 minutes. The hotel is in walking distance of Hyde Park and London’s main shopping streets, and close to Imperial College. Accommodation will be available at the venue and other hotels in the vicinity.London in March offers a variety of diversions for out-of-conference relaxation, including sight-seeing and shopping; the arts and the theatre; and pubs, clubs and restaurants to suit every taste. Conference staff will be on hand to help delegates plan their spare time.To book your place or find out more information, e-mail info@microbicides2004.org.uk or telephone the Event Office on +44 (0) 20 7720 4411
Oral: invited speaker Oral: Track A Oral: Track B Oral: Track C Poster: Track A Poster: Track B Poster: Track C Abstract only Authors

02534 QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DETERMINATION OF THE VAGINAL MICROBIAL FLORA BY REAL TIME PCR

Meacci Francesca*,
Giomarelli B.*, Strobele C.*°, Oggioni M.R.*, and Pozzi G.*
*LAMMB, Dip. Biol. Mol., Università degli Studi di Siena, Italy; °Fachhochschule Jena, Germany

In each ecological niche of the human body, including the vagina, the microbial commensal flora is composed of about 100 to 600 different bacterial species. While a minority of these organism grows well in vitro, the vast majority is not cultivable by standard laboratory techniques. Since it is of great importance to asses the variation of the microbial flora connected with the use of microbicides, as well as in specific pathological conditions, we developed an efficient new method based on quantitative real-time PCR. Aim of this work is the development and validation of a novel molecular diagnostic approach for characterisation vaginal flora, both for cultivable and uncultivable bacterial species. Real time PCR is used as a culture-independent tool for characterisation of the shifts in the composition of microbial population of the vagina. After construction of a database, several PCR primer sets, able to amplify defined groups of bacteria, were designed. Three different sets of primer were designed to identify/quantify the predominant species of the human vagina flora which correlated to “normality” (Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus jensenii). For the recognition/quantification of the major phylogenetic groups of bacteria a series of 10 primer sets were designed. For few pathogens specific primer sets were designed (Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida albicans). The PCR assays have been validated on controls of cloned DNA and specificity and sensitivity were checked. The quantitative real time PCR assay developed was shown to be able to quantify efficiently selected species in spiked samples over a wide range of serial dilutions.

Dr. Francesca Meacci
LAMMB, Policlinico Le Scotte (lotto 5, piano 1), 53100 Siena, Italy
(Telephone) +39 0577 233306 (Fax) +39 0577 233334 (E-mail) meacci@unisi.it