International AIDS conference to open in Mexico on August 3

MEXICO CITY, August 3 (RIA Novosti) - An international conference on combating the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) will be held in the Mexican capital from August 3 through August 8, the forum's organizers said on Sunday.

AIDS is a set of infections and symptoms resulting from damage to the human immune system caused by the human deficiency virus (HIV).

The 17th International AIDS Conference, "Universal Action Now," will gather 25,000 delegates from 188 countries, as well as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

"AIDS 2008 will provide many opportunities for the presentation of important new scientific research and for productive, structured dialogue on the major challenges facing the global response to AIDS," the organizers' web site said.

According to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the number of AIDS cases worldwide stands at more than 33 million, including 1.6 million cases in Latin America. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa remain the center of the AIDS epidemic.