Immune System News and Research

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Immunological catch-22 with chronic infections

After a viral infection, a small percentage of the T cells generated to kill virus-infected cells remain on guard to establish long-term immunity.

10 Apr 2007

Combination Lyme disease vaccine proteins patented

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and collaborators at Stony Brook University have received U.S. Patent Number 7,179,448 for developing chimeric, or "combination," proteins that may advance the development of vaccines and diagnostic tests for Lyme disease.

9 Apr 2007

FDA warns consumers on health risks of keeping pet turtles

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urgently reminding the public that contact with baby turtles can pose a serious health risk to infants, small children, and adults with impaired immune systems as they can be natural hosts to Salmonella, a group of bacteria that can cause severe illness and death.

8 Apr 2007

Tai chi helps seniors avoid shingles

According to recent research the ancient Chinese martial art of Tai chi offers benefits beyond improving fitness and balance for older adults.

8 Apr 2007

Weak immune response critical to disease that causes most infant hospitalizations

The most common cause of infant hospitalization in the United States, respiratory syncytial virus, infects virtually all children by age two.

7 Apr 2007

Stress affects levels of serum cytokines across pregnancy

A new study shows that women who report high levels of stress and low social support during pregnancy are more likely to have increased immune system activity, which can trigger inflammatory responses and put them at risk for premature labor and preeclampsia.

7 Apr 2007

Statins lower risk of sepsis in patients on kidney dialysis

Researchers at Johns Hopkins may have discovered an unintended benefit in the drugs millions of Americans take to lower their cholesterol: The medications, all statins, seem to lower the risk of a potentially lethal blood infection known as sepsis in patients on kidney dialysis.

7 Apr 2007

New regulatory mechanism for critical protein signaling domain

The study is being published in Science Express, an advanced online edition of the journal Science, on April 5. It will appear in the print version of Science later this spring.

7 Apr 2007

Researchers show blood-brain barrier damage could affect multiple sclerosis severity

Immunology researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson studying a multiple sclerosis (MS)-like disease in mice have shown that the amount of "damage" to the central nervous system's protective blood-brain barrier, in essence, opening it, almost always correlates to the severity of the disease.

7 Apr 2007

Method for making new molecules based on flavonoids - implications for cancer therapeutics

You've heard of them -- the good-for-your-health compounds found in plants that we enjoy in red wine, dark chocolate, green tea and citrus fruits.

5 Apr 2007

Severe reduction of Treg cells may be involved in development of pemphigus vulgaris

Several T cell subsets with immunosuppressive functions have been reported to demonstrate their suppressive capabilities to the acquired immune system in animal autoimmune disease models.

5 Apr 2007

FDA issues Salmonella alert for Pet Chews - potential for cross contamination, in people, especially children

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today warned consumers not to use American Bullie A.B. Bull Pizzle Puppy Chews and Dog Chews manufactured and distributed by T.W. Enterprises, Ferndale, WA, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, which can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and, if there is cross contamination, in people, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems.

5 Apr 2007

Hepatitis C virus can block other hepatitis C variants from infecting the same cell

There's infection and then there's superinfection - when a cell already infected by a virus gets a second viral infection. But some viruses don't like to share their cells.

5 Apr 2007

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital designated as Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has been designated one of six Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of the National Institutes of Health.

4 Apr 2007

CD4 Initiative to develop easy to use device that can measure CD4+ T-lymphocytes in HIV+ patients

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have been selected to participate in a collaborative initiative to develop a simple, affordable and rapid test to measure the immune systems of people infected with HIV/AIDS in developing countries.

4 Apr 2007

New blood test to rapidly detect levels of radiation exposure

In the event of a nuclear or radiological catastrophe -- such as a nuclear accident or a "dirty bomb" -- thousands of people would be exposed to radiation, with no way of quickly determining how much of the deadly substance has seeped inside their bodies.

4 Apr 2007

FDA approves Twinrix

GlaxoSmithKline has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Twinrix [Hepatitis A Vaccine (Inactivated) and Hepatitis B (Recombinant) Vaccine], for an accelerated dosing schedule that consists of three doses given within three weeks followed by a booster dose at 12 months.

4 Apr 2007

Scientists take a close look at early events in immune response

A Sandia National Laboratories research team led by Anup Singh is taking a new approach to studying how immune cells respond to pathogens in the first few minutes and hours of exposure.

4 Apr 2007

Connection found between allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases

A new study by researchers at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center and the University of Washington (UW) identifies a connection between allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, and autoimmune diseases. The study was published in the April 1, 2007 edition of Nature Immunology.

4 Apr 2007

Researchers document rare case of hepatitis B virus transmission

Researchers have documented a case of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission between two patients at a dentist's office in the United States.

4 Apr 2007

Immune System News and Research

Immunological catch-22 with chronic infections

Combination Lyme disease vaccine proteins patented

FDA warns consumers on health risks of keeping pet turtles

Tai chi helps seniors avoid shingles

Weak immune response critical to disease that causes most infant hospitalizations

Stress affects levels of serum cytokines across pregnancy

Statins lower risk of sepsis in patients on kidney dialysis

New regulatory mechanism for critical protein signaling domain

Researchers show blood-brain barrier damage could affect multiple sclerosis severity

Method for making new molecules based on flavonoids - implications for cancer therapeutics

Severe reduction of Treg cells may be involved in development of pemphigus vulgaris

FDA issues Salmonella alert for Pet Chews - potential for cross contamination, in people, especially children

Hepatitis C virus can block other hepatitis C variants from infecting the same cell

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital designated as Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance

CD4 Initiative to develop easy to use device that can measure CD4+ T-lymphocytes in HIV+ patients

New blood test to rapidly detect levels of radiation exposure

FDA approves Twinrix

Scientists take a close look at early events in immune response

Connection found between allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases

Researchers document rare case of hepatitis B virus transmission

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