Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Host-directed therapy: A new type of TB treatment

In a new study published in Nature, scientists describe a new type of tuberculosis (TB) treatment that involves manipulating the body's response to TB bacteria rather than targeting the bacteria themselves, a concept called host-directed therapy.

28 Jun 2014

New estimates highlight the importance of developing norovirus vaccines

Noroviruses are a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (diarrhoea and vomiting) across all age groups, responsible for almost a fifth (18%) of all cases worldwide. New estimates, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, highlight the importance of developing norovirus vaccines, say the authors.

28 Jun 2014

Wake Forest Baptist Physician offers tips to prevent bites and rashes in summer

When summer rolls around, nothing beats soaking up the rays, hiking in a forest or playing Frisbee with the family … until a mosquito, bee or poisonous plant ruins the fun.

28 Jun 2014

Lassa virus uses two-step process to invade cells, shows study

Scientists have discovered that the Lassa virus, which is endemic to West Africa, uses an unexpected two-step process to enter cells.

28 Jun 2014

Xenex testifies before U.S. House of Representatives on effectiveness of UV disinfection system in reducing HAI rates

Xenex Disinfection Services, the world leader in UV room disinfection systems, testified yesterday before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology; Subcommittee on Research and Technology; and Subcommittee on Oversight.

28 Jun 2014

First step toward new drugs that can transcend antibiotic resistance issues

Scientists in the United States and India have successfully modified the precursor to one of the drugs used to treat tuberculosis, an important first step toward new drugs that can transcend antibiotic resistance issues that experts consider a serious threat to global health.

28 Jun 2014

Noroviruses responsible for almost a fifth of all cases of acute gastroenteritis

27 Jun 2014

ASPIRE completes patient enrollment in Phase III trial of vaginal ring for HIV prevention

ASPIRE, one of two Phase III trials of a promising method for preventing HIV in women - a vaginal ring worn for a month at a time - has completed enrollment of participants, with 2,629 women from 15 clinical research sites in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe now taking part in the study.

27 Jun 2014

Researchers apply infection-modeling to tackle mass incarceration rates

The incarceration rate has nearly quadrupled since the U.S. declared a war on drugs, researchers say. Along with that, racial disparities abound. Incarceration rates for black Americans are more than six times higher than those for white Americans, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.

26 Jun 2014

Current sequencing protocols overlook DNA crucial to bacterial virulence

Genomic sequencing is supposed to reveal the entire genetic makeup of an organism. For infectious disease specialists, the technology can be used to analyze a disease-causing bacterium to determine how much harm it is capable of causing and whether or not it will be resistant to antibiotics.

26 Jun 2014

USAMRIID scientists propose new standards to sequence viral genomes

Scientists at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) have proposed a set of standards aimed at developing a common "language" among investigators working to sequence viral genomes and characterize viral stocks.

26 Jun 2014

Applying math to study cell migration and dynamics of organisms

Cell migration, which is involved in wound healing, cancer and tumor growth, and embryonic growth and development, has been a topic of interest to mathematicians and biologists for decades.

26 Jun 2014

Preventing antibiotic side effects: an interview with Florence Séjourné, CEO, Da Volterra

Like all drugs, antibiotics can have side-effects when administered to people. The most common (and often benign) side effect people experience when taking antibiotics is “associated diarrhea”. This illustrates the fact that antibiotics have an impact on the intestine!

25 Jun 2014

Advancements in HIV treatment help patients live longer

Huge advancements have taken place in HIV treatment and prevention over the past 10 years, but there is still no cure or vaccine. A new review shows that because of advancements in treatment, people with the virus are living longer.

25 Jun 2014

State highlights: Texas immigrant surge brings health crisis

Large stores in California need not keep automated external defibrillators for customers who suffer heart attacks, the California Supreme Court decided. In a unanimous ruling Monday, the state's highest court said California law requires only that fitness centers have such potentially life-saving devices and encourages most public buildings to keep them (Dolan, 6/23).

25 Jun 2014

Mode of cancer cell recognition opens up new possibilities for leukaemia immunotherapy

Scientists at A*STAR's Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) have discovered a new class of lipids in the leukaemia cells that are detected by a unique group of immune cells. By recognising the lipids, the immune cells stimulate an immune response to destroy the leukaemia cells and suppress their growth.

25 Jun 2014

Study finds link between high CD4 cell counts and reduced ischemic stroke risk in people with HIV

A 15-year study found that HIV-positive individuals had a 40 percent increased risk of ischemic stroke, however stroke rates were nearly the same for HIV-positive individuals with high CD4 cell counts as for HIV-negative subjects.

24 Jun 2014

Cubist Pharmaceuticals' SIVEXTRO receives FDA approval for treatment of ABSSSI

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved SIVEXTRO (tedizolid phosphate) for the treatment of adult acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI).

21 Jun 2014

Researchers adapt mathematical tool to help control malaria and other infectious diseases

A mathematical tool used by the Metropolitan Police and FBI has been adapted by researchers at Queen Mary University of London to help control outbreaks of malaria, and has the potential to target other infectious diseases.

20 Jun 2014

Researchers review effectiveness of RDTs in diagnosing visceral leishmaniasis

Researchers from the Cochrane Infectious Disease Group, co-ordinated through the editorial base in LSTM, conducted an independent review into the effectiveness of rapid diagnostic tests in diagnosing patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL), published in The Cochrane Library today.

20 Jun 2014

Infectious Diseases News and Research

Host-directed therapy: A new type of TB treatment

New estimates highlight the importance of developing norovirus vaccines

Wake Forest Baptist Physician offers tips to prevent bites and rashes in summer

Lassa virus uses two-step process to invade cells, shows study

Xenex testifies before U.S. House of Representatives on effectiveness of UV disinfection system in reducing HAI rates

First step toward new drugs that can transcend antibiotic resistance issues

Noroviruses responsible for almost a fifth of all cases of acute gastroenteritis

ASPIRE completes patient enrollment in Phase III trial of vaginal ring for HIV prevention

Researchers apply infection-modeling to tackle mass incarceration rates

Current sequencing protocols overlook DNA crucial to bacterial virulence

USAMRIID scientists propose new standards to sequence viral genomes

Applying math to study cell migration and dynamics of organisms

Preventing antibiotic side effects: an interview with Florence Séjourné, CEO, Da Volterra

Advancements in HIV treatment help patients live longer

State highlights: Texas immigrant surge brings health crisis

Mode of cancer cell recognition opens up new possibilities for leukaemia immunotherapy

Study finds link between high CD4 cell counts and reduced ischemic stroke risk in people with HIV

Cubist Pharmaceuticals' SIVEXTRO receives FDA approval for treatment of ABSSSI

Researchers adapt mathematical tool to help control malaria and other infectious diseases

Researchers review effectiveness of RDTs in diagnosing visceral leishmaniasis

Industry Focus eBook - Infectious Diseases (3rd Edition) eBook

The Critical Role of Sample Storage in Drug Discovery and Development

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

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