Infectious Diseases News and Research

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IOM's Forum on Microbial Threats to take place from Dec.11-12

A two-day symposium will explore how much we have learned about new and re-emerging infectious diseases in the two decades since the Institute of Medicine issued a 1992 report pointing to major challenges in detecting and managing disease outbreaks.

6 Dec 2012

Inserm prizes for medical research to be awarded on Dec. 3

The 2012 Inserm prizes for medical research will be awarded at a ceremony at the Coll-ge de France on Monday 3 December 2012. This year, the grand prize will be awarded to Philippe Sansonetti in the presence of Marisol Touraine, France's Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Genevi-ve Fioraso, France's Minister of Higher Education and Research, and Professor Andr- Syrota, Chairman and CEO of Inserm.

5 Dec 2012

New method promises to boost stem cell production in laboratory

A new method for generating stem cells from mature cells promises to boost stem cell production in the laboratory, helping to remove a barrier to regenerative medicine therapies that would replace damaged or unhealthy body tissues.

5 Dec 2012

Baxter enters definitive agreement to acquire Gambro

Baxter International Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Gambro AB, a privately held dialysis product company based in Lund, Sweden, for total consideration of 26.5 billion SEK (approximately $4.0 billion USD at current exchange rates).

From Baxter International Inc. 5 Dec 2012

Sputum color guides antibiotic treatment in COPD

Withholding antibiotic treatment from hospitalized chronic obstructive lung disease patients with nonpurulent sputum does not negatively affect outcomes, a pilot study shows.

4 Dec 2012

Talk is cheap for tackling wasteful emergency diagnostics

An intervention as simple as a staff discussion during a general meeting results in a large reduction in the number of unnecessary diagnostic tests ordered by emergency physicians, say Brazilian researchers.

4 Dec 2012

psi-GSH prevents neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's in mouse model

Researchers at the University of Minnesota's Center for Drug Design have developed a synthetic compound that, in a mouse model, successfully prevents the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease.

4 Dec 2012

Chronic periodontitis present more often in men with erectile dysfunction

Men in their thirties who had inflamed gums caused by severe periodontal disease were three times more likely to suffer from erection problems, according to a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

4 Dec 2012

Colleges and universities should implement new or improved flu vaccine strategies

College football and basketball games may provide more than a way for students to show school spirit - they could help prevent the flu.

3 Dec 2012

Low-level exposure to organophosphates affects neurological and cognitive function

Scientists have found that low-level exposure to organophosphates (OPs) produces lasting decrements in neurological and cognitive function. Memory and information processing speed are affected to a greater degree than other cognitive functions such as language.

2 Dec 2012

Men should see a doctor and be proactive about their health, say UAB experts

Experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) say a man's tendency to wait until the onset of sickness to see his doctor is a major detriment to health because key screenings are missed.

1 Dec 2012

The Lancet issues special series of articles focused on emerging zoonoses

Today, the prestigious British medical journal, The Lancet, has issued a special series of articles focused on emerging zoonoses (human diseases that originate in or are shared with animals).

1 Dec 2012

Tissue damage, disease severity in C. diff. infection associated with disruption of PPARγ pathway

Researchers in the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute have discovered how a common diarrhea-causing bacterium sends the body's natural defenses into overdrive, actually intensifying illness while fighting infection.

1 Dec 2012

Study of hospital-acquired infection yields potential therapeutic target

30 Nov 2012

Broad range of human activities affects spread of vector-borne zoonotic diseases, experts say

West Nile virus, Lyme disease, dengue fever, and plague are examples of "vector-borne zoonotic diseases," caused by pathogens that naturally infect wildlife and are transmitted to humans by vectors such as mosquitoes or ticks.

30 Nov 2012

Tdap well tolerated in over-65s

Off-label use of tetanus–diptheria–acellular pertussis vaccine in senior patients results in no more adverse events than the tetanus and diphtheria vaccine, a US study shows.

30 Nov 2012

Medicare, other entitlement programs key to 'fiscal cliff' deal

Politico reports that "inside the talks," a framework for addressing the "fiscal cliff" is taking shape that includes both tax increases and entitlement cuts. Other news outlets note that publicly, President Barack Obama is playing down spending cuts, while GOP leaders demand entitlement reductions but offer few specifics.

30 Nov 2012

VAC-3S immunotherapeutic vaccine for HIV completes first clinical development phase

InnaVirVax, a biopharmaceutical company specialized in research and development on therapeutic and diagnostic solutions for diseases linked to immune dysregulation, has just announced successful completion of the first clinical development phase for VAC-3S immunotherapy in the treatment of HIV infections.

30 Nov 2012

Study shows how anaplasma phagocytophilum subverts natural processes

Bacteria that cause the tick-borne disease anaplasmosis in humans create their own food supply by hijacking a process in host cells that normally should help kill the pathogenic bugs, scientists have found.

30 Nov 2012

JQ1 cancer drug may be useful in purging latent HIV infection

Breakthrough drugs have made it possible for people to live with HIV longer than ever before, but more work must be done to actually cure the disease. One of the challenges researchers face involves fully eradicating the virus when it is latent in the body.

30 Nov 2012