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Hookworm infections in humans are caused by two important species of nematode parasites (a type of a roundworm), Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus.

New opportunities to save another 6.4 million lives

Vaccinating children around the world against infectious diseases has saved the lives of millions over the past several decades. Now new opportunities exist to overcome remaining challenges-and save another 6.4 million lives over the current decade, according articles in the June 2011 edition of Health Affairs. The issue was produced under the journal's grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

10 Jun 2011

The ‘decade of vaccines’ has the potential to save lives, many challenges ahead

Vaccinating children around the world against infectious diseases has saved the lives of millions over the past several decades. Now new opportunities exist to overcome remaining challenges—and save another 6.4 million lives over the current decade, according articles in the June 2011 edition of Health Affairs. The issue was produced under the journal’s grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

9 Jun 2011

iBioLaunch Platform successfully expresses hookworm-derived molecule for potential vaccine

iBio, Inc. today announced that its proprietary iBioLaunch Platform successfully expressed the hookworm-derived molecule known as NaAPR1M-74, which will be evaluated as a potential vaccine candidate for human hookworm disease.

26 May 2011

Researchers identify key mucus component in human gut that can kill parasitic worms

Scientists have discovered why some people may be protected from harmful parasitic worms naturally while others cannot in what could lead to new therapies for up to one billion people worldwide.

5 May 2011

Scientist receives grant for research on parasitic diseases through African biodiversity medicines

McGill University and McGill University scientist Dr. Timothy Geary received a $1-million grant today for landmark research into addressing parasitic diseases through medicines derived from African biodiversity.

25 Jan 2011

Opinions: Kangaroo care; NTDs, Women's health

New York Times contributing writer Tina Rosen, on the newspaper's "Opinionator" blog, examines the success of a system known as kangaroo care, which has helped to improve the survival rates of premature infants by using skin-to-skin contact with mothers in place of incubators in low-resource settings. The post notes the potential value of such a strategy in poor countries "where pregnant women are unlikely to get the food and care they need," and "low birth weight babies are very common."

16 Dec 2010

Issuing first report on NTDS, WHO aims for 'complete control' by 2015

The WHO said on Thursday that it was aiming for 'complete control' by 2015 of tropical diseases that affect one billion impoverished people and kill an estimated 534,000 people each year, Agence France-Presse reports.

15 Oct 2010

The George Washington University Professor to comment on water-borne diseases

Dr. Peter Hotez from The George Washington University is available to comment on the risk of water-borne diseases as a result of the recent flooding in Pakistan.

19 Aug 2010

Scientists produce atlas of worm infection prevalence, distribution throughout Africa

On Tuesday at the 12th International Congress of Parasitology, a group of scientists, led by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, launched an online series of maps showing the distribution and prevalence of worm infections across Africa, Tropika.net reports (Chinnock, 8/17).

19 Aug 2010

Capitol Hill briefing addresses neglected tropical diseases

At a Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) briefing, held in conjunction with the Congressional Malaria and NTD Caucus in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, "U.S. researchers, pharmaceutical companies and government officials [said] they are making progress in an effort to curb [NTDs], but that they need more money and outside help," VOA News.

14 Jun 2010

Controlling NTDs can improve reproductive health and rights of women in poor countries

Controlling neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in developing countries would help improve the reproductive health and rights of girls and women in the poorest countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, according to a new editorial published November 24 in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

2 Dec 2009

Publication serves as a guide to build productive partnerships and overcome global health challenges

Meaningful and lasting progress in addressing global health challenges cannot be achieved without partnerships and collaboration, according to a publication released today, Case Studies for Global Health.

21 Nov 2009

Hookworms can prevent asthma

A study conducted in Vietnam has added further weight to the view that parasitic gut worms, such as hookworm, could help in the prevention and treatment of asthma and other allergies.

29 Sep 2009

Researchers gain ground in efforts to fight parasite infection

New findings by researchers UT Southwestern Medical Center are accelerating efforts to eradicate worm infections that afflict a third of the world's population.

26 May 2009

Tribendimidine shows promise for intestinal worm infections

Researchers have reported positive results from a safety and efficacy study pertaining to tribendimidine, a broad-based treatment for intestinal worm infections.

14 Oct 2008

7 million pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa infected with hookworms

A study published by PLoS reveals that between a quarter and a third of pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa, or almost 7 million, are infected with hookworms, putting them at risk of anaemia.

2 Oct 2008

Could stem cells be used to cure Crohn's Disease?

Scientists are investigating whether stem cells could be used to 're-boot' the immune system and provide a cure for Crohn's Disease.

29 Nov 2007

Genetic engineering offers promising new approaches to improve dietary iron intake

Using selective plant breeding and genetic engineering could be used to reduce the incidence of iron deficiency worldwide by improving the quality of dietary iron, conclude authors of a Seminar in this week’s edition of The Lancet.

13 Aug 2007

The role of gut worms in allergies

Gut parasites could hold the key to increasingly common conditions such as eczema, asthma and hay fever, according to scientists at The University of Nottingham.

2 Dec 2006

WHO unveils new strategy to fight some of the most neglected tropical diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO) and a group of more than 25 partner organizations unveiled a new strategy to fight some of the most neglected tropical diseases that destroy the lives and health of poor people.

26 Oct 2006