Measles News and Research

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Measles is a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus. It remains a leading cause of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. An estimated 197 000 people died from measles in 2007, mostly children under the age of five.

Measles is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family. The measles virus normally grows in the cells that line the back of the throat and the lungs. It is a human disease not known to occur in animals.

Vitamin A does not improve maternal, infant health, study finds

Giving women vitamin A supplements does not reduce maternal death rates or improve the health of infants, according to a study published Tuesday in the Lancet, the New York Times reports.

5 May 2010

Merck reports non-GAAP EPS of $0.83 for first-quarter 2010

Merck & Co., Inc. today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2010. The company reported non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share (EPS) for the first quarter of $0.83, which excludes purchase accounting adjustments, merger-related expenses and restructuring costs, as well as a tax charge related to the recently enacted health care reform legislation. First-quarter GAAP EPS was $0.09.

4 May 2010

Opinions: Sanitation and women, child health; GM in Global Food Security bill; U.S. malaria strategy; GHI on NTDs; Haiti recovery

"If Stephen Harper is serious about maternal health and child health [as suggested by his plans for the upcoming G8 and G20 summits], he needs to recognize that healthy mothers come from healthy communities," Maude Barlow and Meera Karunananthan of the Council of Canadians write in a Chronicle Herald opinion piece that examines the connections between the health of women and children and access to drinking water and sanitation.

30 Apr 2010

People infected with gastrointestinal worms respond better to injected vaccines

According to the World Health Organization, two billion people around the globe suffer from chronic parasitic worm infections, which, in addition to causing illness and developmental delay, are also suspected to interfere with the effectiveness of ordinary vaccines, making their victims more vulnerable to life-threatening diseases. A recent discovery by researchers at the Trudeau Institute promises to bypass these obstacles and help deliver more effective vaccines to these people, boosting their protection against common childhood diseases.

27 Apr 2010

Immunization campaigns to be launched simultaneously in 112 countries and territories

For the first time, immunization campaigns are being launched simultaneously tomorrow in 112 countries and territories in the World Health Organization Regions of the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean and Europe, with the goals of expanding immunization coverage and raising awareness of the importance of vaccines.

24 Apr 2010

U.N. agencies issue warning, appeal for funds to tackle measles outbreak in West, Central Africa

"Sixteen countries in West and Central Africa are in the throes of a measles outbreak, at a time when there is a shortfall in funding for vaccination campaigns against the disease, two U.N. agencies said in a joint statement on Thursday," Reuters AlertNet reports (Fominyen, 4/22).

24 Apr 2010

Children need to be immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases: Secretary of Health

Pennsylvania parents are strongly urged to protect their children by making certain they are fully immunized against preventable diseases, Secretary of Health Everette James said today to mark the start of National Infant Immunization Week, April 24-May 1.

24 Apr 2010

Hearing tests needed for children

The importance of hearing testing isn't widely understood by many parents. Parents may schedule appointments with an opthamologist for an eye exam for their children at regular intervals - but never think to similarly schedule a hearing test with an audiologist.

21 Apr 2010

Opinions: Health and living conditions; H1N1, one year later; global water shortages

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford write in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution opinion piece about the need to "address the constant crisis families face daily in deplorable living conditions."

15 Apr 2010

PS-targeting antibodies can block HIV virus from entering into certain blood cells

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the publication of data showing phosphatidylserine -targeting antibodies can block one of the key ways the AIDS virus gains entry into certain blood cells. The data were generated by scientists at Duke University as part of their ongoing AIDS vaccine research.

6 Apr 2010

Peregrine's PS-targeting antibodies block HIV from entry into blood cells

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the publication of data showing phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting antibodies can block one of the key ways the AIDS virus gains entry into certain blood cells. The data were generated by scientists at Duke University as part of their ongoing AIDS vaccine research. The article titled "Anti-Phospholipid Human Monoclonal Antibodies Inhibit CCR5-Tropic HIV-1 and Induces β-Chemokines" is available online today and will be published in the April 12, 2010 edition of the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

5 Apr 2010

Passengers on Brisbane train may have been exposed to measles

A NSW man who was diagnosed with measles travelled in a train from the Brisbane International Airport to South Brisbane about 8am on Saturday.

2 Apr 2010

PhRMA report: 234 medicines in development for special health care needs of children

America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are developing 234 medicines for the special health care needs of children, according to a new report released today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

31 Mar 2010

Resurgence of mumps orchitis among teenage boys and young men

Urologists at a leading Irish hospital have reported an alarming increase in the number of teenage boys and young men developing mumps orchitis, in a paper published in the April issue of the urology journal BJUI.

30 Mar 2010

Emory Institute of Drug Discovery and Zirus collaborate to develop new anti-viral drugs

The Emory Institute of Drug Discovery and Zirus, Inc., a biotechnology company based in Buford, Georgia, have entered into a collaboration and research agreement to develop novel compounds to treat infectious disease. Zirus uses a proprietary method for identifying genes and gene products in host cells that, when blocked, can prevent viruses from multiplying. Over the past several years, either alone or in collaboration with partners, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Zirus has identified, licensed and filed patents on more than 1000 targets.

30 Mar 2010

Shingles drug receives clearance for final stage of testing

A new Welsh-developed drug to help alleviate the suffering of shingles could move a step closer for patients if the final stage of testing is given the go-ahead.

24 Mar 2010

Understanding the African mindset may help promote health education in rural areas

Seen through western eyes, beliefs in supernatural forces are common in Ghana and other African countries. Death, suffering and diseases are often attributed to witchcraft. Over thirty per cent of its inhabitants believe such evil forces could be responsible for the spread of HIV/AIDS.

22 Mar 2010

Merck’s MF/F Phase III study data presented at AAAAI annual meeting

Data from two Phase III studies of Merck’s investigational fixed-dose combinations of mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate (MF/F) were presented by researchers today in two poster presentations at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) annual meeting.

3 Mar 2010

Making public policies on vaccination with limited information

"Let's say you're a public health official from the Centers for Disease Control, and you don't really know how much disease is going to be averted by vaccinating different fractions of the population," said Manski, the Board of Trustees Professor in Economics in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. "Then how should you choose a policy? That's really what the paper tries to address."

26 Feb 2010

Internet-based surveillance helps confront infectious disease threats at mass gatherings

Integrating real-time Internet-based infectious disease surveillance with knowledge of worldwide air traffic patterns could help in confronting infectious disease threats at mass gatherings, such as the Olympics and other large scale events, suggests an article in CMAJ.

25 Feb 2010

Measles News and Research

Further Reading

Vitamin A does not improve maternal, infant health, study finds

Merck reports non-GAAP EPS of $0.83 for first-quarter 2010

Opinions: Sanitation and women, child health; GM in Global Food Security bill; U.S. malaria strategy; GHI on NTDs; Haiti recovery

People infected with gastrointestinal worms respond better to injected vaccines

Immunization campaigns to be launched simultaneously in 112 countries and territories

U.N. agencies issue warning, appeal for funds to tackle measles outbreak in West, Central Africa

Children need to be immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases: Secretary of Health

Hearing tests needed for children

Opinions: Health and living conditions; H1N1, one year later; global water shortages

PS-targeting antibodies can block HIV virus from entering into certain blood cells

Peregrine's PS-targeting antibodies block HIV from entry into blood cells

Passengers on Brisbane train may have been exposed to measles

PhRMA report: 234 medicines in development for special health care needs of children

Resurgence of mumps orchitis among teenage boys and young men

Emory Institute of Drug Discovery and Zirus collaborate to develop new anti-viral drugs

Shingles drug receives clearance for final stage of testing

Understanding the African mindset may help promote health education in rural areas

Merck’s MF/F Phase III study data presented at AAAAI annual meeting

Making public policies on vaccination with limited information

Internet-based surveillance helps confront infectious disease threats at mass gatherings

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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