Diarrhoea News and Research

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Renowned expert to present latest research on gut microbes at EICC

Trillions and trillions of bacteria live in the human gut. The thought of all these invisible inhabitants inside you might be yucky, but without them we would not be here at all. Which microbes reside in our gut? Are they harmful? Where do they come from? What do they actually do deep in our bowels? Do pre- or pro- biotics affect them?

25 Mar 2010

Pharmaceutical firms, GAVI Alliance agree to provide long-term supply of Pneumococcal vaccine

Millions of infants and young children in the world's poorest countries will receive potentially life-saving vaccines that help protect against pneumococcal disease, including pneumonia -- the world's biggest childhood killer, thanks to new agreements made with two major pharmaceutical firms, the GAVI Alliance announced today.

24 Mar 2010

Understanding the African mindset may help promote health education in rural areas

Seen through western eyes, beliefs in supernatural forces are common in Ghana and other African countries. Death, suffering and diseases are often attributed to witchcraft. Over thirty per cent of its inhabitants believe such evil forces could be responsible for the spread of HIV/AIDS.

22 Mar 2010

More focus on reaching MDGs needed, development officials say

During a conference in London Thursday, development officials urged world leaders to "accelerate efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and [said] rich countries must make good on promises to boost aid to poorer nations," Reuters AlertNet reports.

15 Mar 2010

WHO welcomes Gates Foundation support in advancing global vaccine efforts

WHO welcomes the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledge of US$ 10 billion over the next ten years to accelerate global vaccine efforts.

12 Mar 2010

Conference calls for East African countries to prioritize water, sanitation programs

During a sanitation conference being held in Kampala, Uganda, this week, "experts have urged regional countries to prioritize programs aimed at increasing access to safe water and sanitation" to move them closer to reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target in 2015, New Times/allAfrica.com reports.

6 Mar 2010

Breastfeeding and better hygiene may protect against peptic ulcer bacterium infection

Young children in developing countries are infected at an early age with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which can cause peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. New findings show that childrens´ immune responses help in fighting the bacteria. In addition, breastfeeding and better hygiene appear to protect against infection. The results provide hope for a vaccine, according to research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

1 Mar 2010

Pathogen study could provide new insights on gene regulation

About 50 percent of the world's population carry Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in their gastrointestinal tract - 30 percent of the German population are infected. Besides cancer, these bacteria are linked to other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease.

24 Feb 2010

Combination of blueberries and probiotics protects against intestinal disorders

It is already known that blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. New research from the Lund University Faculty of Engineering in Sweden shows that blueberry fibre are important and can alleviate and protect against intestinal inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis.

9 Feb 2010

At World Economic Forum, Gates Foundation announces 10-year, $10B vaccine commitment

Bill and Melinda Gates announced Friday during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that their foundation would commit $10 billion over the next decade to research, develop and deliver vaccines for the world's poorest countries, the New York Times reports (McNeil, 1/29). The Gateses "said they hope the commitment would spur support by governments, corporations, and other donors for vaccinations efforts," the Chronicle of Philanthropy writes (Wilhelm, 1/29).

30 Jan 2010

Alterations in intestinal microbiota may lie behind IBS aetiology

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal functional disorder that can greatly affect the patient's well being. Multiple interacting mechanisms, including alterations in the intestinal microbiota, are suspected to lie behind IBS aetiology.

18 Jan 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

A Lancet Comment examines the "grossly insufficient" progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing under-5 child mortality. "Accelerated progress can be achieved, even in the poorest environments, through: integrated, evidence-driven, and community-based programmes that focus on addressing the major causes of death, including pneumonia, diarrhoea, newborn disorders, malaria, HIV, and undernutrition; reaching the unreached with a basic package of interventions at large scale and achieving coverage with equity; and using data for action and advocacy," the comment concludes (You et al., 1/9).

9 Jan 2010

Young people more likely to catch swine flu from an infected person in their household

Young people aged under 18 years are more likely than adults to catch swine flu from an infected person in their household, according to a new study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

30 Dec 2009

Study shows herbal medicine is effective for treating acute rhinosinusitis

Rhinosinusitis is an inflammatory process involving one or more of the paranasal sinuses that typically follows a viral upper respiratory tract infection (RTI). The term ‘acute rhinosinusitis’ is used instead of ‘acute sinusitis’ because it is the currently internationally accepted terminology.

4 Dec 2009

New form of pathogen becomes a healthcare challenge in Africa

Research shows how a new, more deadly strain of Salmonella emerged over an 18-month period. Becoming resistant to antibiotics, acquiring the ability to spread from person to person and losing genes along the way, the new strain has become a healthcare challenge in Africa, killing up to one in four patients.

1 Dec 2009

Research shows rare parasitic disease is transmitted by gay men

A rare parasitic disease, which normally only is transmitted by contaminated water, has been shown to be transmitted by gay sex between hiv-positive men. In the industrial world the disease is virtually absent, but from now on that could change.

27 Nov 2009

For World Toilet Day, news outlets examine poor sanitation conditions around world

In light of World Toilet Day Thursday, several news outlets examine the impact of poor sanitation on health.

19 Nov 2009

Pentavalent price drops: the GAVI effect

Following the increasing impact of the GAVI Alliance on the vaccine market, the price of one of the major combination vaccines, the pentavalent, is falling considerably, enabling GAVI’s partners to vaccinate millions of more children in the developing world.

18 Nov 2009

Report calls for refocusing health spending in developing countries to save children's lives

"More than 24,000 infants die daily from preventable diseases in developing countries," and child deaths have fallen in countries where governments "have shown a high level of political leadership on child health," World Vision International said in a new report (.pdf) released on Monday as part of a five-year campaign to reduce child deaths worldwide, the Associated Press/San Francisco Chronicle reports.

17 Nov 2009

Opinions: Health system funding; malnutrition assistance; social dimension of HIV

"For too long, global health funding has gone to diseases like AIDS with the most vocal lobby groups and not to the diseases with the greatest need," Philip Stevens, a senior fellow at International Policy Network, writes in a Business Daily opinion piece.

16 Nov 2009