CROI 2027 Abstract Categories: Notes on Category Selection

Original research on HIV and related infections, SARS-CoV-2, and MPXV may be submitted for consideration. The Scientific Program Committee may, from time to time, add specific emerging infections to the research presented at CROI. These infections are those that impact the lives and health of people with or at risk of HIV, such as viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, and mpox, or those that have immediate global threats to health, such as COVID-19.   

Before selecting a category, please review the category description and the following guidelines to ensure that the appropriate review team reviews your abstract:     

  • All studies of children or adolescents should be submitted to category (P) Childhood and Adolescent HIV, SARS-CoV-2, or Mpox Virus  
  • All studies of pregnant or postpartum populations or aspects of conception or gestation should be submitted to category (O) Maternal and Fetal HIV and SARS-CoV-2 
  • All resistance studies and trials should be submitted to category (H) Resistance of HIV or SARS-CoV-2 to Small Molecules and Antibodies in Adults   
  • All studies of hepatitis, including hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E in monoinfection or HIV coinfection and liver complications (eg, NASH and NAFLD), should be submitted to category (I) Hepatitis Viruses and Liver Complications 
  • Diagnostics: Studies of new technologies related to HIV drug resistance, complications, tuberculosis, other opportunistic infections, hepatitis, or malignancies should be submitted to those specific categories. Studies applying new diagnostics in populations should be submitted to category (R) Testing for HIV, COVID-19, and Mpox in Adults: New Tests, Population Studies, and Scale-Up    
  • Population and Cost Modeling: Studies that include research on demography, population impact, modeling, and cost-effectiveness should be submitted to the relevant topical category. Reviewers of these abstracts will include individuals with modeling expertise   
  • Behavioral or relevant social sciences studies should be submitted to the respective categories, including  (U)  Implementation and Scale-Up of Prevention and Treatment for HIV, and Impact of COVID-19 and Mpox on HIV-Related Programs;  (G)  Antiviral Therapy: Pre-Clinical Data, Randomized Trials, Efficacy, and Effectiveness Studies in HIV or SARS-CoV-2 or Mpox Virus in Adults; and  (S)  Prevention of HIV, COVID-19, and Mpox in Adults   
Basic Science
A  Virology of HIV and Emerging Viral Infections Studies of the basic virology of HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens), including viral replication in vitro, host restriction factors, viral life cycles, entry, tropism, and viral phenotypes and genotypes. In general, studies in individuals with HIV/other infections or those with samples from such individuals should not be submitted here, but rather in the appropriate basic, clinical, or epidemiologic abstract category.
B  Pathogenesis of HIV and Emerging Viral Infections: Human Studies and Animal Models Studies of factors influencing the pathogenesis and outcomes of HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens) in humans and animal models. This category includes studies of viral-host interactions, immune activation, host cell targets, cellular compartments of infection, viral and host genotypes, and disease outcomes.
C  Host Immune Responses, Vaccines, and Immunotherapies: HIV and Emerging Viral Infections Studies of B-cell, T-cell, and innate immune responses to HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens), including immune responses to infection and vaccines. This category also includes studies of immunomodulatory therapeutic interventions, such as cytokine-based interventions and passive antibody treatment.
D  HIV Reservoirs, Latency, and Cure Studies of all aspects of HIV reservoirs and latency and approaches to HIV cure, including human and animal studies related to these topics.
E  Neuropathogenesis and Neurologic Complications of HIV and Emerging Viral Infections in Adults Studies of neuropathogenesis and neurologic complications associated with HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens) in adults. This category includes neuroimmunology; neurodegeneration; virology of central nervous system (CNS) infection; CNS complications of systemic infection, including neurocognitive dysfunction, neuropsychiatric symptoms and associated factors or responses; cerebrovascular complications; and biomarkers, including neuroimaging and machine learning models.
Clinical
F Clinical Pharmacology in Adults Studies of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of small- and large-molecule drugs in animal models and adult humans, including drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion; novel dosing regimens; drug interactions; simulation and modeling; and novel uses of objective drug adherence and exposure metrics. Studies of maternal-fetal health should be submitted to category (O). Studies of children or adolescents should be submitted to category (P).
G Antiviral Therapy: Preclinical Data, Randomized Trials, Efficacy, and Effectiveness Studies (Including Observational Studies) in Adults Studies of antiviral agents and combinations, including virus-directed monoclonal antibodies and new antiviral agents, where the focus is on antiviral therapy and treatment strategies for HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens). This category includes preclinical data, interventional trials, and observational and cohort studies. Studies of patient and provider attitudes about antiviral treatment options and studies of antiviral treatment adherence should be submitted here. Studies that focus on resistance should be submitted to category (H). Studies of maternal-fetal health should be submitted to category (O). Studies of children or adolescents should be submitted to category (P).
H Resistance of HIV and Emerging Viral Infections to Small Molecules and Antibodies in Adults

Studies of the molecular mechanisms, pathogenesis, clinical implications, epidemiology, and diagnosis of resistance to small molecules and antibodies for HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens). Studies of maternal-fetal health should be submitted to category (O). Studies of children or adolescents should be submitted to category (P). 
I Hepatitis Viruses and Liver Complications in Adults Studies of the diagnosis, epidemiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and outcomes of viral hepatitis and liver complications associated with HIV and emerging viral infections in adults. Studies of maternal-fetal health should be submitted to category (O). Studies of children or adolescents should be submitted to category (P).
J HIV-Related Malignancies and Tumor Viruses Studies of the epidemiology, pathobiology, prognostic biomarkers, incidence, treatment, and prevention of malignancies or premalignant lesions in people with HIV, including gynecologic malignancies and malignancies associated with tumor viruses.
K Cardiovascular Complications of HIV Infection and Antiretroviral Therapy Studies of cardiovascular complications of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy, including coronary and cardiac complications, hypertension, lipid disorders, and peripheral vascular atheromatous disease. Cerebrovascular complications, including stroke, should be submitted to category (E).
L Other Complications of HIV Infection and Antiretroviral Therapy in Adults    Studies of renal, bone, frailty, adipose tissue, metabolic, multimorbidity and other complications of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy, excluding studies exclusively focused on neurologic, liver, and cancer complications. Neurologic complications should be submitted to category (E). Liver complications should be submitted to category (I). Cancer complications should be submitted to (J).
M Clinical Manifestations and Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2, Including Long COVID Studies of clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and complications associated with SARS-CoV-2 in adults. This category includes acute COVID-19 and postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC, or long COVID). Neurologic complications of COVID-19 should be submitted to category (E). Studies of maternal-fetal health should be submitted to category (O). Studies of children or adolescents should be submitted to category (P).
N Tuberculosis and HIV-Associated Opportunistic Infections and Coinfections     Basic and clinical studies of bacterial, fungal, parasitic, mycobacterial, and nonhepatitis viral infections, including tuberculosis and other HIV-associated opportunistic infections and coinfections, and the impact of HIV coinfection and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens). This category also includes clinical trials and integrated strategy studies that evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and acceptability of biomedical, behavioral, and structural interventions to prevent or treat coinfections and opportunistic infections in people with HIV.
O Maternal and Fetal HIV and Emerging Viral Infections Studies of HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens) involving maternal-fetal health, including transmission, prevention, treatment, pregnancy, and postpartum maternal health. This category includes vertical transmission; approaches to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of infections and comorbidities during pregnancy and breastfeeding; potential risks associated with treatments during pregnancy and breastfeeding; postpartum maternal health; and early infant diagnosis.
P Childhood and Adolescent HIV and Emerging Viral Infections Studies of the diagnosis, treatment, and management of HIV and related coinfections and comorbidities in infants, children, adolescents and young adults, including HIV-exposed uninfected infants and children. This category includes biomedical, behavioral, and structural interventions, as well as studies of emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens) in these populations.
Epidemiology/Public Health
Q Epidemiology of HIV and Emerging Viral Infections in Adults Studies of the incidence and prevalence of HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging viral infections). This category includes risk factors for acquisition or transmission; biomedical, behavioral, and structural determinants; morbidity and mortality; surveillance; surveys; transmission dynamics, including phylogenetics, molecular epidemiology, and mathematical and statistical modeling; and studies focused on key and priority populations.  
R Testing for HIV and Emerging Viral Infections in Adults Studies evaluating the performance characteristics, implementation, and cost-effectiveness of diagnostics and related tests for HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging viral infections). This category also includes individual, community-, partner-, and self-testing; innovative approaches and technologies; scale-up of testing; and testing results.
S Prevention of HIV and Emerging Viral Infections in Adults Studies of prevention interventions for horizontal transmission of HIV and emerging viral infections (eg, HTLV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MPXV, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, and other novel or reemerging pathogens) in adults and adolescents. This category includes clinical, preclinical, first-in-human, and pharmacokinetic studies of microbicides, pre- and postexposure prophylaxis, treatment as prevention, medical male circumcision, multipurpose technologies, and other prevention methods. Studies of implementation and scale up of prevention interventions for HIV and other emerging viral infections should be submitted to category (U).
T Sexually Transmitted Infections, Contraception, and Reproductive Health in Adults Studies of sexually transmitted infections, contraception, and reproductive health in women and men across the life course. Includes studies of human papillomavirus and other aspects of sexual and reproductive health in populations with or at risk of HIV.
U Implementation and Scale-up of Testing and Prevention Interventions for HIV and Emerging Viral Infections in Adults and Adolescents Studies of implementation science and operational research evaluating HIV prevention strategies and programs, including HIV prevention cascades; implementation and scale-up of biomedical, behavioral, and structural prevention interventions; integrated prevention strategies; status-neutral approaches; implementation of HIV testing, PrEP, PEP, and other prevention services; program delivery; uptake, reach, fidelity, sustainability; and population-level impact of prevention interventions on health outcomes among persons at risk for HIV. This category also includes studies evaluating the impact of emerging viral infections on HIV-related prevention services.
V Implementation and Scale-up of Treatment Interventions for HIV and Emerging Viral Infections in Adults Studies of implementation science and operational research evaluating HIV treatment strategies and programs, including HIV treatment cascades; implementation and scale-up of antiretroviral therapy and HIV care; integrated models of care; differentiated service delivery; linkage, retention, and reengagement in care; adherence interventions; program delivery; uptake, reach, fidelity, sustainability; and population-level impact of treatment interventions on health outcomes among persons with HIV. This category also includes studies evaluating the impact of emerging viral infections on HIV-related treatment and care programs and services.