Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Flu virus suppresses body's ability to defend against bacteria

When infected with influenza, the body becomes an easy target for bacteria. The flu virus alters the host's immune system and compromises its capacity to effectively fight off bacterial infections. Now, a team of immunologists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and cooperation partners has discovered that an immune system molecule called TLR7 is partly to blame. The molecule recognizes the viral genome - and then signals scavenger cells of the immune system to ingest fewer bacteria.

15 Nov 2012

Paxvax PXVX0200 cholera vaccine demonstrates safety and immunogenicity in Phase 1 clinical trial

PaxVax Inc, which develops and commercializes innovative vaccines against infectious diseases in a socially responsible manner today announced results from a Phase 1 clinical trial of PaxVax's single-dose oral cholera vaccine candidate at the 2012 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting in Atlanta.

15 Nov 2012

Potential diagnostic method to identify subset of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

For the first time, researchers have landed on a potential diagnostic method to identify at least a subset of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a complex disorder with no known definitive cause or cure.

15 Nov 2012

MRSA outbreak tracked and contained using DNA sequencing

Scientists have used DNA sequencing for the first time to effectively track the spread of, and ultimately contain, an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to new research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

14 Nov 2012

DNA sequencing helps detect MRSA outbreaks in hospitals

This study used DNA sequencing to examine an outbreak of MRSA in a hospital, to uncover new cases and, as the study developed, to intervene in the outbreak to end it more quickly. Sequencing illuminated each person infected and described the transmission of MRSA between people coming to the hospital and within the hospital.

14 Nov 2012

Obesity and dental cavities increase and become epidemic as homeless children age

Obesity and dental cavities increase and become epidemic as children living below the poverty level age, according to nurse researchers from the Case Western Reserve University and the University of Akron.

14 Nov 2012

New investments, innovative strategies needed to train health professionals for developing world

Noting "the WHO has estimated that there is a global shortage of more than four million trained health care workers," Robert Bollinger, professor of infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, writes in the Huffington Post "Impact" blog, "It is very clear that new and innovative strategies are needed to train the large number of health professionals needed for Africa, Asia, and Latin America."

14 Nov 2012

Abbott releases details on phase 3 hepatitis C registrational program

Abbott today released details on its phase 3 hepatitis C registrational program following promising results from its phase 2b clinical trial, known as Aviator, presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) in Boston.

13 Nov 2012

Psychiatric patients not ‘down-triaged’ in the ED

Study findings refute the belief that patients with psychiatric illness may wait longer than is appropriate to see a doctor in the emergency department.

13 Nov 2012

New intervention strategies needed to reach HIV-infected youth at birth

As youth infected at birth with HIV reach adolescence and young adulthood, a new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases underscores the need to promote healthy behaviors as some of these young people become sexually active.

9 Nov 2012

Immunomic Therapeutics initiates JRC-LAMP-vax vaccine Phase I trial in Sugi allergy

Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc., a leader in developing novel allergy immunotherapies, announced today that it has dosed the first patient in a Phase I clinical trial of its lead candidate, JRC-LAMP-vax vaccine, at its clinical site in Honolulu, Hawaii. Initial subjects include Japanese ex-patriates previously exposed to Japanese red cedar, or "Sugi," as it is known in Japan.

9 Nov 2012

Elevated ST2 biomarker levels strongly indicate heart failure and mortality in HIV patients

Critical Diagnostics, makers of the Presage ST2 Assay, announced today that during a presentation at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Los Angeles, the results of a study demonstrated that elevated levels of the biomarker ST2 in HIV patients was strongly indicative of the development of heart failure and mortality.

9 Nov 2012

Soligenix receives FDA Fast Track designation for SGX203 to treat pediatric Crohn's disease

Soligenix, Inc., a development stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today that its program for development of SGX203 (oral beclomethasone 17,21-dipropionate or oral BDP) for the induction treatment of mild-to-moderate pediatric Crohn's disease has received "Fast Track" designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

8 Nov 2012

Antibiotic choices critical for elderly with bloodstream infections

Failure to treat patients with bacteremia with an appropriate antibiotic is particularly harmful in elderly patients, report researchers.

8 Nov 2012

Key areas of disease neglected by UK funding for infectious diseases

UK funding for infectious diseases research is neglecting some of the diseases that result in the highest rates of death and disability, according to an Article published Online First in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

8 Nov 2012

Trauma transfusion ratios linked to survival

Transfusion practices significantly predict early inhospital mortality among adult trauma patients, suggests a report published in the Archives of Surgery.

8 Nov 2012

Study reveals increased risk of leukemia among Chernobyl cleanup workers

A 20-year study following 110,645 workers who helped clean up after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in the former Soviet territory of Ukraine shows that the workers share a significant increased risk of developing leukemia. The results may help scientists better define cancer risk associated with low doses of radiation from medical diagnostic radiation procedures such as computed tomography scans and other sources.

8 Nov 2012

Two new EU Member States now represented within TRANSVAC services platform

In addition to the initial panel of nine services, the TRANSVAC transnational access platform has integrated in July 2012 five additional groups which provide their services to users on a free and paid basis. Two new European Union (EU) Member States are now represented within the platform of services: France and Portugal.

8 Nov 2012

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine creates International Diagnostics Centre

Today sees the launch of the International Diagnostics Centre (IDC), a global research collaboration hub, created at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to undertake innovative research on the development and deployment of new diagnostic tests that enable patients to be diagnosed faster, more accurately and cost effectively.

8 Nov 2012

HPV testing and cervical screening: an interview with Dr Rosa Legood

Human papillomavirus is a virus that is transmitted through sexual contact. In most cases the virus is transient and causes no harm, however in some cases it can go on to cause pre-cancer lesions and cervical cancer.

7 Nov 2012

Infectious Diseases News and Research

Flu virus suppresses body's ability to defend against bacteria

Paxvax PXVX0200 cholera vaccine demonstrates safety and immunogenicity in Phase 1 clinical trial

Potential diagnostic method to identify subset of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

MRSA outbreak tracked and contained using DNA sequencing

DNA sequencing helps detect MRSA outbreaks in hospitals

Obesity and dental cavities increase and become epidemic as homeless children age

New investments, innovative strategies needed to train health professionals for developing world

Abbott releases details on phase 3 hepatitis C registrational program

Psychiatric patients not ‘down-triaged’ in the ED

New intervention strategies needed to reach HIV-infected youth at birth

Immunomic Therapeutics initiates JRC-LAMP-vax vaccine Phase I trial in Sugi allergy

Elevated ST2 biomarker levels strongly indicate heart failure and mortality in HIV patients

Soligenix receives FDA Fast Track designation for SGX203 to treat pediatric Crohn's disease

Antibiotic choices critical for elderly with bloodstream infections

Key areas of disease neglected by UK funding for infectious diseases

Trauma transfusion ratios linked to survival

Study reveals increased risk of leukemia among Chernobyl cleanup workers

Two new EU Member States now represented within TRANSVAC services platform

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine creates International Diagnostics Centre

HPV testing and cervical screening: an interview with Dr Rosa Legood

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

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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