Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Vitamin D3 intake does not reduce incidence or severity of upper respiratory tract infections

Although some data have suggested a possible inverse association between serum vitamin D levels and the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (colds), participants in a randomized controlled trial who received a monthly dose of 100,000 IUs of vitamin D3 did not have a significantly reduced incidence or severity of colds, according to a study in the October 3 issue of JAMA.

4 Oct 2012

LpxC-1 can effectively treat antibiotic-resistant infections

A new type of antibiotic can effectively treat an antibiotic-resistant infection by disarming instead of killing the bacteria that cause it. Researchers report their findings in the October 2 issue of mBio-, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

3 Oct 2012

‘Hygiene hypothesis’ updated to ‘Old Friends’ hypothesis

A new scientific report out today from the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH) dismantles the myth that the epidemic rise in allergies in recent years has happened because we’re living in sterile homes and overdoing hygiene.

3 Oct 2012

Adjunctive drugs hasten sedation in the emergency department

Adding intravenous droperidol or olanzapine to midazolam shortens the time to adequate sedation in acutely agitated patients in the emergency department, show findings from a randomized controlled trial.

2 Oct 2012

Respiratory infections provide urban asthma clue

Urban infants have a different pattern of viral respiratory illness from suburban infants, which could help explain why they are more likely to develop asthma, say US researchers.

2 Oct 2012

Prognosis still poor for EVB in cirrhosis

The current standard of care for esophageal variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis is very effective at controlling bleeding but patient prognosis remains poor, say the authors of an Italian study.

1 Oct 2012

ED discharge satisfaction related to symptom understanding, duration

While the majority of older patients treated and released from emergency departments understand their discharge information, half do not understand how long their condition could last, and a third do not understand medication warnings, show study results.

1 Oct 2012

Inhibiting DUSP6 protein can restore immune cells’ responsiveness to a more youthful state

The older we get, the weaker our immune systems tend to become, leaving us vulnerable to infectious diseases and cancer and eroding our ability to benefit from vaccination. Now Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have found that blocking the action of a single protein whose levels in our immune cells creep steadily upward with age can restore those cells' response to a vaccine.

1 Oct 2012

Researchers track spread of human invasive non-Typhoidal Salmonella in sub-Saharan Africa

A new study out today (Sunday 30 September) reveals that the emergence and spread of a rapidly evolving invasive intestinal disease, that has a significant mortality rate (up to 45%) in infected people in sub-Saharan Africa, seems to have been potentiated by the HIV epidemic in Africa.

1 Oct 2012

Researchers identify IL-27 molecule involved in counterbalancing the immune system attack

We couldn't live without our immune systems, always tuned to detect and eradicate invading pathogens and particles. But sometimes the immune response goes overboard, triggering autoimmune diseases like lupus, asthma or inflammatory bowel disease.

29 Sep 2012

Bioengineers design inexpensive, rapid medical diagnostic tests

By mimicking nature's own sensing mechanisms, bioengineers at UC Santa Barbara and University of Rome Tor Vergata have designed inexpensive medical diagnostic tests that take only a few minutes to perform.

29 Sep 2012

AVEO submits tivozanib NDA with FDA for treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma

AVEO Oncology and Astellas Pharma Inc. today announced that AVEO has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval for tivozanib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

29 Sep 2012

Three USU doctoral students to receive Henry M. Jackson Fellowships

The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. has selected three promising Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) doctoral students to receive fellowships for the 2012-13 academic year. The program, established in 1988, includes two Henry M. Jackson Fellowships and one Val G. Hemming Fellowship. Each fellow receives a stipend and travel support.

28 Sep 2012

Shingles becoming more common in Australia

The herpes zoster virus, which causes shingles, is becoming more common as the population ages. In Australia the number of cases has doubled between 2000 and 2010. Hospital emergency departments report a 2–6% increase in cases per year.

28 Sep 2012

BioLineRx’s BL-1020 safe and effective in treating schizophrenia

BioLineRx, a biopharmaceutical development company, announced today the publication of results from the Phase II EAGLE clinical trial for BL-1020, a first in class, orally available, GABA-enhanced antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia, showing that BL-1020 is safe and effective in improving schizophrenia, in addition to improving cognitive impairment associated with this condition.

28 Sep 2012

Incarcerated patients with chronic HCV likely to achieve sustained viral response

Incarcerated patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are just as likely to respond to treatment for the disease as patients in the community, according to findings published in the October issue of Hepatology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

28 Sep 2012

Life Technologies receives FDA clearance for OpTmizer CTS T-cell expansion media

Life Technologies Corporation today announced it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its OpTmizer CTS T-Cell Expansion Tissue Culture Medium – a reagent that is now cleared as a Class II medical device and offers cost- and time-saving advantages for transitioning studies from the research bench to clinical trials.

28 Sep 2012

Hundreds of new genes are involved in function and development of T-cells

A research team led by investigators at New York University and NYU School of Medicine has determined how cells that cause inflammatory ailments, such as Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis, differentiate from stem cells and ultimately affect the clinical outcome of these diseases.

27 Sep 2012

George Mason University research makes big breakthrough in HIV

New research showing how the HIV virus targets "veterans" or memory T-cells could change how drugs are used to stop the virus, according to new research by George Mason University.

27 Sep 2012

Key bacterial protein structures reveal one of the biochemical secrets behind multi-drug tolerance

The structures of key bacterial proteins have revealed one of the biochemical secrets that enables bacteria to outwit antibiotics.

27 Sep 2012

Infectious Diseases News and Research

Vitamin D3 intake does not reduce incidence or severity of upper respiratory tract infections

LpxC-1 can effectively treat antibiotic-resistant infections

‘Hygiene hypothesis’ updated to ‘Old Friends’ hypothesis

Adjunctive drugs hasten sedation in the emergency department

Respiratory infections provide urban asthma clue

Prognosis still poor for EVB in cirrhosis

ED discharge satisfaction related to symptom understanding, duration

Inhibiting DUSP6 protein can restore immune cells’ responsiveness to a more youthful state

Researchers track spread of human invasive non-Typhoidal Salmonella in sub-Saharan Africa

Researchers identify IL-27 molecule involved in counterbalancing the immune system attack

Bioengineers design inexpensive, rapid medical diagnostic tests

AVEO submits tivozanib NDA with FDA for treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma

Three USU doctoral students to receive Henry M. Jackson Fellowships

Shingles becoming more common in Australia

BioLineRx’s BL-1020 safe and effective in treating schizophrenia

Incarcerated patients with chronic HCV likely to achieve sustained viral response

Life Technologies receives FDA clearance for OpTmizer CTS T-cell expansion media

Hundreds of new genes are involved in function and development of T-cells

George Mason University research makes big breakthrough in HIV

Key bacterial protein structures reveal one of the biochemical secrets behind multi-drug tolerance

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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