Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Sweden funds HIV/AIDS prevention and care in China

On Friday, 2 July 2004, the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the WHO office in Beijing signed an agreement under which SIDA will fund a three-year WHO project on comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention and care in China.

2 Jul 2004

Celiac disease may affect 3 million Americans, ten times higher than previous estimates

Celiac disease is considerably under-diagnosed, according to an independent consensus panel convened this week by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

1 Jul 2004

Four most common cancers accounted for over half of the 225,000 new cases of malignant cancer registered in England in 2001

The four most common cancers - breast, lung, colorectal and prostate - accounted for over half of the 225,000 new cases of malignant cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) registered in England in 2001.

30 Jun 2004

12 sites testing a new vaccine to prevent anthrax

The phase II trial will evaluate the safety and immunogenic response of a new recombinant anthrax vaccine, known as rPA102. The vaccine candidate consists of recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA), a synthetic protein that induces antibodies designed to prevent illness by neutralizing anthrax toxins, and aluminum hydroxide to enhance the immune response.

29 Jun 2004

35 million Americans have fungal nail infection underneath their toenails

An estimated 35 million Americans have an active, live infection known as onychomycosis (fungal nail infection) underneath their toenails

29 Jun 2004

A viral respiratory infection common in children increases the risk of developing asthma

The study, published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, is the first to show a link between respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, infection and asthma in mice. A related study, also in mice, suggests that a medication neutralizing the virus could decrease children's chances of developing asthma.

28 Jun 2004

A single dose of a test vaccine sprayed into the nose protects monkeys against the SARS virus

The study, published in the June 26 issue of the British journal The Lancet, is the third recently issued by NIAID that describes a promising candidate vaccine against SARS.

25 Jun 2004

MRSA superbugs emerged independently in at least eight countries including the UK

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria that are increasingly resistant to vancomycin, the antibiotic of last resort in the war against superbugs, have emerged independently in at least eight countries including the UK

24 Jun 2004

Genetic variation that doubles the risk for rheumatoid arthritis

A team of researchers has discovered a genetic variation that doubles the risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

24 Jun 2004

Testing for the SARS coronavirus by using a patients tear drops

A team of ophthalmologists, virologists and infectious disease specialists from the National University Hospital, Singapore, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Singapore General Hospital made their discovery working with teardrops taken from 36 patients in April last year. All of the 36 were suspected of having SARS.

22 Jun 2004

Oxford researchers call for new malaria distribution maps

There is a pressing need to define accurate maps of global malaria risk if international initiatives to reduce the disease are to be fairly targeted.

20 Jun 2004

Mothers infected with HIV who breast feed risk infecting infants

After four weeks of age, infants who breast feed from mothers infected with HIV continue to be at risk for infection with HIV for as long as they breastfeed

17 Jun 2004

Additional $849 million to respond to bioterror attacks in U.S.

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced an additional $849 million in awards to states, territories, and four major metropolitan areas to strengthen the ability of government and public health agencies to respond to bioterror attacks, infectious diseases and natural disasters.

17 Jun 2004

Harmless virus known as GBV-C slows the progression of HIV

Iowa City Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and University of Iowa (UI) researchers have unlocked part of the mystery of how a harmless virus known as GBV-C slows the progression of HIV and prolongs survival for many patients.

17 Jun 2004

Undernutrition is the cause of more than 53 percent of all child deaths

Undernutrition is the underlying cause of more than 53 percent of all child deaths that occur annually, including those from infectious diseases, pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and malaria, according to a new analysis by researchers with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the World Health Organization.

17 Jun 2004

Emergence of MRSA bacteria that are increasingly resistant to vancomycin

Researchers had previously thought that such bacteria were emerging from only one sort of the MRSA superbug, but the new study has shown that they have evolved in all major types.

17 Jun 2004

Soil-borne disease called allergic fungal sinusitis is on the rise

The bad news this summer is that a destructive, soil-borne disease called allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is on the rise -- at least according to the up tick in cases referred to specialist Steven Schaefer, MD, chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

16 Jun 2004

Beef tacos with a side order of Escherichia coli

Thirteen people from Arizona, California, and Nevada who ate beef tacos from a national fast-food restaurant chain in 1999 became infected with Escherichia coli, according to a study in the June 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

15 Jun 2004

Echinacea may do nothing for that runny nose

Some think echinacea is nothing to sneeze at. Others aren't convinced of the claims that the herb can fight the common cold. A study in the May 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online, adds to the evidence against the herb's alleged powers: In the study, echinacea did not prevent a common cold virus from infecting volunteers.

15 Jun 2004

University of Cambridge to generate antibodies

The University of Cambridge has announced a licensing agreement with Human-Human Hybridoma, Inc. (3H) to exploit a human myeloma cell line (Karpas-707H) that can be used in research and for the production of human monoclonal antibodies.

15 Jun 2004