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Researchers discover gene that causes MRSA infection to linger on skin longer than other strains

In the last decade, a new strain of MRSA has emerged that can spread beyond hospital walls, putting everyone at risk of contracting the dangerous bacterial infection. This particular strain of MRSA - known as USA300 - contains a chunk of genes not shared by any other strains, though it is unclear how this unique genetic material enables the bacteria to survive and persist in the community.

4 Feb 2013

Epidermal growth factor speeds recovery of blood-making stem cells after radiation exposure

Epidermal growth factor has been found to speed the recovery of blood-making stem cells after exposure to radiation, according to Duke Medicine researchers. The finding could open new options for treating cancer patients and victims of dirty bombs or nuclear disasters.

3 Feb 2013

PKCζ protein plays a critical role in regulating tumor metabolism

Cancer cells need food to survive and grow. They're very good at getting it, too, even when nutrients are scarce. Many scientists have tried killing cancer cells by taking away their favorite food, a sugar called glucose. Unfortunately, this treatment approach not only fails to work, it backfires-glucose-starved tumors actually get more aggressive.

2 Feb 2013

Study offers new evidence of natural emission of influenza

A new study suggests that patients with influenza can emit small virus-containing particles into the surrounding air during routine patient care, potentially exposing health care providers to influenza. Published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, the findings raise the possibility that current influenza infection control recommendations may not always be adequate to protect providers from influenza during routine patient care in hospitals.

2 Feb 2013

Ten common notions concerning colds and flu

The cold and flu season has hit early and hard this year. As the number of people infected continues to increase, so does the number of internet searches for ways to prevent or limit the duration of viral illnesses. But, what is fact and what is fiction?

1 Feb 2013

Current recommendations for infection control among health care providers may not be adequate

Some people with the flu emit more of the air-borne virus than others, suggesting that the current recommendations for infection control among health care providers may not be adequate, according to a new study from researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

1 Feb 2013

HIV infection rate in MSM in England and Wales remains unchanged despite improved prevention measures

The rate of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) in England and Wales has remained unchanged over the past decade despite an almost four-fold increase in HIV testing, rising treatment coverage, and a 20% shortening of time-to-diagnosis, according to new research published Online First in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

1 Feb 2013

Moderate gum disease causes severe infection and inflammation in AIDS animal model

Texas Biomed scientists in San Antonio have found that moderate gum disease in an animal model exposed to an AIDS- like virus had more viral variants causing infection and greater inflammation. Both of these features have potential negative implications in long term disease progression, including other kinds of infections, the researchers say in a new report.

1 Feb 2013

Viewpoints: Congress must put entitlements on 'more sustainable path;' Reading, writing and mental health screenings

What's needed now is a clear, achievable plan to bring the debt and deficit under control for the long term. A crucial part of any such plan is promoting a more vigorous economy, possibly by simplifying the federal tax code. Another important piece is putting entitlements on a more sustainable path, reducing the drain on the Treasury. That means expanding on the 2010 healthcare law's efforts to increase efficiency, quality and innovation in healthcare.

1 Feb 2013

Positive results from PaxVax's Ad4-H5-Vtn vector vaccine Phase 1 trial on avian flu

PaxVax, Inc., which develops and commercializes innovative vaccines against infectious diseases in a socially responsible manner, today announced positive results in a Phase 1 clinical trial for its oral, replicating adenovirus serotype 4 (Ad4) vector vaccine for H5N1 (avian flu).

31 Jan 2013

TB test offers rapid detection of TB and drug-resistant strains according to new study

A diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB) can accurately and quickly detect both TB and drug-resistant strains, according to a new study. The authors of a new systematic review assessing the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert® MTB/RIF test published in The Cochrane Library say their study can provide timely advice for clinicians and policymakers in countries where TB is a major public health problem.

31 Jan 2013

GSU associate professor receives federal grant to bolster flu vaccine research

Sang-Moo Kang, associate professor at Georgia State University's Center for Inflammation, Immunity and Infection, has received a federal five-year, $3.4 million grant to bolster research that will lead to better flu vaccines and vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a disease for which there is no immunization.

31 Jan 2013

International community must continue to fund efforts to stop spread of infectious diseases

Writing in the Huffington Post's "The Big Push" blog, Dirk Niebel, Germany's federal minister of economic cooperation and development, discusses "why Germany announced last week that it is committing one billion euros over five years to the Global Fund."

31 Jan 2013

Scientists discover functional control strategies in emotional circuits of people with social phobia

Fear is a protective function against possible dangers that is designed to save our lives. Where there are problems with this fear mechanism, its positive effects are cancelled out: patients who have a social phobia become afraid of perfectly normal, everyday social situations because they are worried about behaving inappropriately or being thought of as stupid by other people.

30 Jan 2013

House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health gains 7 new members

"The subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee that oversees international health issues, including infectious disease, maternal and child health and global health programs, and population programs, as well as human rights issues and agencies, has seven new members," the Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" reports and "profiles the four new Republicans to join the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations."

30 Jan 2013

HIV-positive patients have higher incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers

HIV-positive patients have a higher incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers, according to a Kaiser Permanente study that appears in the current online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Specifically, basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas occur more than twice as often among HIV-positive individuals compared to those who are HIV-negative.

30 Jan 2013

Phenformin decreases size of lung tumors and increases survival in mice

Ever since discovering a decade ago that a gene altered in lung cancer regulated an enzyme used in therapies against diabetes, Reuben Shaw has wondered if drugs originally designed to treat metabolic diseases could also work against cancer.

30 Jan 2013

High-frequency oscillatory ventilation put on hold

Findings from two trials suggest that high-frequency oscillatory ventilation does not help, and may even harm patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

29 Jan 2013

New tweet-screening method effectively tracks flu cases

Sifting through social media messages has become a popular way to track when and where flu cases occur, but a key hurdle hampers the process: how to identify flu-infection tweets. Some tweets are posted by people who have been sick with the virus, while others come from folks who are merely talking about the illness. If you are tracking actual flu cases, such conversations about the flu in general can skew the results.

29 Jan 2013

Common myths about flu from Mayo Clinic

It seems you can't go anywhere these days without hearing "the flu this" or "the flu that." Unfortunately, this season's influenza outbreak is one of the worst in years. And it's not just the flu virus that's causing problems; there are also many myths about the flu that are keeping people from doing more to prevent it.

29 Jan 2013

Infectious Diseases News and Research

Researchers discover gene that causes MRSA infection to linger on skin longer than other strains

Epidermal growth factor speeds recovery of blood-making stem cells after radiation exposure

PKCζ protein plays a critical role in regulating tumor metabolism

Study offers new evidence of natural emission of influenza

Ten common notions concerning colds and flu

Current recommendations for infection control among health care providers may not be adequate

HIV infection rate in MSM in England and Wales remains unchanged despite improved prevention measures

Moderate gum disease causes severe infection and inflammation in AIDS animal model

Viewpoints: Congress must put entitlements on 'more sustainable path;' Reading, writing and mental health screenings

Positive results from PaxVax's Ad4-H5-Vtn vector vaccine Phase 1 trial on avian flu

TB test offers rapid detection of TB and drug-resistant strains according to new study

GSU associate professor receives federal grant to bolster flu vaccine research

International community must continue to fund efforts to stop spread of infectious diseases

Scientists discover functional control strategies in emotional circuits of people with social phobia

House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health gains 7 new members

HIV-positive patients have higher incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers

Phenformin decreases size of lung tumors and increases survival in mice

High-frequency oscillatory ventilation put on hold

New tweet-screening method effectively tracks flu cases

Common myths about flu from Mayo Clinic

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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