Infectious Diseases News and Research

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First comprehensive, international baseline evidence about pandemics published

Public health officials walking a tightrope between massive demand for vaccines and intense public scrutiny of side effects now have a new standard for evaluating the safety of their vaccination programs.

19 Nov 2009

Washington Global Health Alliance completes internal coordination study of global health

The Washington Global Health Alliance, a group representing 26 life-sciences businesses, institutions and governmental organizations, has completed an internal coordination study demonstrating the significant influence of its primary partners in the mission of global health.

19 Nov 2009

Malaria experts urge Congress to increase funding for malaria programs

While efforts to control and eliminate malaria have made great strides during the past five years, the looming specter of drug resistance heightens the importance of continued research and development for new tools to assure continued success, according to malaria scientists and public health experts appearing today on Capitol Hill.

19 Nov 2009

New research on viral activity may aid in treating bacterial infections

Viruses are well known for attacking humans and animals, but some viruses instead attack bacteria. Texas A&M University researchers are exploring how hungry viruses, armed with transformer-like weapons, attack bacteria, which may aid in the treatment of bacterial infections.

19 Nov 2009

Opinions: Fighting TB; currency transaction tax

Though tuberculosis "is one of the world's leading killers … few citizens, scientists and policymakers are demanding more attention to TB research, treatment and prevention. … It's time to bring TB research into the 21st century," Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, writes in an MSNBC opinion piece.

19 Nov 2009

Also in Global Health news: Sleeping sickness; aid for Philippines; U.S., China in Africa; polio eradication in Afghanistan; Ethiopia famine

Lancet Infectious Diseases Newsdesk examines how despite evidence that a new therapy to treat sleeping sickness, called nifurtimox—eflornithine (NECT) is a step forward in treating the disease, it has yet to be implemented by countries "13 months after data from a successful trial was presented." The main issue at hand - "nifurtimox is not registered for use in sleeping sickness," the journal writes. The article also examines other factors complicating the implementation of the therapy (Morris, 12/09).

18 Nov 2009

CEL-SCI commences clinical study of LEAPS-H1N1 treatment for hospitalized patients

CEL-SCI Corporation, a developer of vaccines and therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and a late-stage oncology company, announced today the start of the Company's first clinical study for hospitalized H1N1 patients at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Johns Hopkins).

18 Nov 2009

Loyola researcher says rapid influenza diagnostic tests can present significant risk to public health

Rapid influenza diagnostic tests used in doctors' offices, hospitals and medical laboratories to detect H1N1 are virtually useless and could pose a significant danger to public health, according to a Loyola University Medical Center researcher.

18 Nov 2009

Accurate diagnostic tests required to fight against major infectious disease

A rapid and accurate diagnosis is the first step towards treatment in the fight against infectious disease. However, a team headed by Dr. Madhukar Pai at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and McGill University in collaboration with researchers at the TDR* and the WHO*, has highlighted the poor quality of published studies that evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests for 3 major killer infectious diseases (TB, HIV/AIDS and malaria).

18 Nov 2009

Quest Diagnostics' Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test receives CE mark

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced that the Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test developed by its Focus Diagnostics business has been CE marked and is now available as a test kit for distribution to approximately 35 countries in Europe.

From Quest Diagnostics 18 Nov 2009

Previous flu infections can reduce the severity of H1N1

Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have found that previous influenza infections may provide at least some level of immunity to the H1N1 "swine" flu. "The question we asked was, "Is the swine flu more like the seasonal flu or like a totally new strain of influenza where there would be no immunity?," said Alessandro Sette, Ph.D., an internationally recognized vaccine expert and director of the La Jolla Institute's Center for Infectious Disease.

18 Nov 2009

PolyMedix completes public offering of units for aggregate gross proceeds of $20.7 million

PolyMedix Inc. (http://polymedix.com), an emerging biotechnology company developing acute care therapeutic drug products for infectious diseases and cardiovascular disorders, announced today that it has completed a public offering of units for aggregate gross proceeds of $20.7 million.

18 Nov 2009

MEMS: Sensors made for automobiles are being used for healthcare devices

MEMS industry execs attending the annual MEMS Executive Congress last week were rapt by presentations and panel discussions by leading innovators in automotive, bio/medical, consumer electronics, mobile communications and energy. Buoyed by optimistic forecasts for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices such as accelerometers and multi-axis gyros—increasingly used in mobile handsets and video games—they engaged with keynote speaker Dr. Mauro Ferrari, professor and director of The Division of NanoMedicine and Deputy Chairman of The University of Texas Department of Biomedical Engineering, whose proteomic NanoChips and multi-stage drug-delivery systems may one day ‘cure cancer.’

17 Nov 2009

FDA to change its policy regarding the post-harvest processing of raw Gulf Coast oysters

Several weeks ago, the FDA announced its intent to change, by summer 2011, its policy regarding the post-harvest processing of raw Gulf Coast oysters harvested in the warmer months.

17 Nov 2009

Healthy adults may have better immunity to 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, says study

A new study shows that molecular similarities exist between the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus and other strains of seasonal H1N1 virus that have been circulating in the population since 1988. These results suggest that healthy adults may have a level of protective immune memory that can blunt the severity of infection caused by the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.

17 Nov 2009

Live Facebook chat on H1N1 flu

People who have questions about the H1N1 flu can get answers from infectious disease experts at Rush University Medical Center during a one-hour, live Facebook chat to be held on Friday, November 20 from12 p.m. until 1 p.m.

16 Nov 2009

Sequella broadens the licensed therapeutic indications of its SQ109 lead drug candidate

Sequella, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on commercializing products to treat life-threatening infectious diseases, today announced that it amended an existing agreement with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to significantly broaden the licensed therapeutic indications, or "field of use," for Sequella's lead drug candidate, SQ109.

16 Nov 2009

SPOT: A one-stop HIV and sexually transmitted diseases testing center for youth

In the last 10 years, the St. Louis area has seen an alarming increase in new diagnoses of HIV and sexually transmitted infections among 13-24 year-olds. Between 1997-2007, more than 50 new diagnoses of HIV were made each year among adolescents and young adults, who are often disconnected from the health-care system or support services. Nationwide, St. Louis has among the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases in this age group.

16 Nov 2009

Inovio Biomedical reports financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009

Inovio Biomedical Corporation today reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009.

16 Nov 2009

Ore Pharmaceutical Holdings reports financial results and provides operational updates for third quarter 2009

Ore Pharmaceutical Holdings Inc. today reported financial results and provided an operational update for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.

13 Nov 2009

Infectious Diseases News and Research

First comprehensive, international baseline evidence about pandemics published

Washington Global Health Alliance completes internal coordination study of global health

Malaria experts urge Congress to increase funding for malaria programs

New research on viral activity may aid in treating bacterial infections

Opinions: Fighting TB; currency transaction tax

Also in Global Health news: Sleeping sickness; aid for Philippines; U.S., China in Africa; polio eradication in Afghanistan; Ethiopia famine

CEL-SCI commences clinical study of LEAPS-H1N1 treatment for hospitalized patients

Loyola researcher says rapid influenza diagnostic tests can present significant risk to public health

Accurate diagnostic tests required to fight against major infectious disease

Quest Diagnostics' Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test receives CE mark

Previous flu infections can reduce the severity of H1N1

PolyMedix completes public offering of units for aggregate gross proceeds of $20.7 million

MEMS: Sensors made for automobiles are being used for healthcare devices

FDA to change its policy regarding the post-harvest processing of raw Gulf Coast oysters

Healthy adults may have better immunity to 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, says study

Live Facebook chat on H1N1 flu

Sequella broadens the licensed therapeutic indications of its SQ109 lead drug candidate

SPOT: A one-stop HIV and sexually transmitted diseases testing center for youth

Inovio Biomedical reports financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009

Ore Pharmaceutical Holdings reports financial results and provides operational updates for third quarter 2009

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