Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Oxford researchers call for new malaria distribution maps

There is a pressing need to define accurate maps of global malaria risk if international initiatives to reduce the disease are to be fairly targeted.

20 Jun 2004

Mothers infected with HIV who breast feed risk infecting infants

After four weeks of age, infants who breast feed from mothers infected with HIV continue to be at risk for infection with HIV for as long as they breastfeed

17 Jun 2004

Additional $849 million to respond to bioterror attacks in U.S.

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced an additional $849 million in awards to states, territories, and four major metropolitan areas to strengthen the ability of government and public health agencies to respond to bioterror attacks, infectious diseases and natural disasters.

17 Jun 2004

Harmless virus known as GBV-C slows the progression of HIV

Iowa City Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and University of Iowa (UI) researchers have unlocked part of the mystery of how a harmless virus known as GBV-C slows the progression of HIV and prolongs survival for many patients.

17 Jun 2004

Undernutrition is the cause of more than 53 percent of all child deaths

Undernutrition is the underlying cause of more than 53 percent of all child deaths that occur annually, including those from infectious diseases, pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and malaria, according to a new analysis by researchers with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the World Health Organization.

17 Jun 2004

Emergence of MRSA bacteria that are increasingly resistant to vancomycin

Researchers had previously thought that such bacteria were emerging from only one sort of the MRSA superbug, but the new study has shown that they have evolved in all major types.

17 Jun 2004

Soil-borne disease called allergic fungal sinusitis is on the rise

The bad news this summer is that a destructive, soil-borne disease called allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is on the rise -- at least according to the up tick in cases referred to specialist Steven Schaefer, MD, chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

16 Jun 2004

Beef tacos with a side order of Escherichia coli

Thirteen people from Arizona, California, and Nevada who ate beef tacos from a national fast-food restaurant chain in 1999 became infected with Escherichia coli, according to a study in the June 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

15 Jun 2004

Echinacea may do nothing for that runny nose

Some think echinacea is nothing to sneeze at. Others aren't convinced of the claims that the herb can fight the common cold. A study in the May 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online, adds to the evidence against the herb's alleged powers: In the study, echinacea did not prevent a common cold virus from infecting volunteers.

15 Jun 2004

University of Cambridge to generate antibodies

The University of Cambridge has announced a licensing agreement with Human-Human Hybridoma, Inc. (3H) to exploit a human myeloma cell line (Karpas-707H) that can be used in research and for the production of human monoclonal antibodies.

15 Jun 2004

Strong evidence treatment for drug abuse can work says Kofi Annan

One of the most damaging misconceptions about drug use is that it is a permanent problem. The truth is that treatment for drug abuse can work, and can restore value and dignity to a person’s life.

11 Jun 2004

WHO welcomes G8 endorsement of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) today welcomed the G8's endorsement of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, a virtual consortium proposed by an international group of scientists that is being established to accelerate HIV vaccine development.

11 Jun 2004

U.S.$2.8 to study a virus associated with respiratory infections

The Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEID), based in the University of Iowa College of Public Health, has been awarded a five-year, $2.8 million grant by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study a virus associated with respiratory infections.

11 Jun 2004

U.S. team to battle malaria in Peru

In the middle of the Peruvian Amazon, a battle against malaria – the second largest killer of people worldwide – will be undertaken by an international team of researchers led by tropical disease specialist Joseph Vinetz, M.D., from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine.

11 Jun 2004

Postnatal exposure to a mercury preservative commonly used in a number of childhood vaccines can lead to the development of autism-like damage

A new study published online June 8 in the Nature publication, Molecular Psychiatry, indicates that postnatal exposure to thimerosal, a mercury preservative commonly used in a number of childhood vaccines, can lead to the development of autism-like damage in autoimmune disease susceptible mice

11 Jun 2004

Expert to help WHO in Dili, East Timor with tropical diseases

A JCU public health expert is off to Dili, Timor Leste (formerly East Timor) to help the World Health Organisation address three serious tropical diseases: lymphatic filariasis, intestinal worms and yaws.

10 Jun 2004

Advertising restrcitions on some over the counter medicines likely to be lifted

Regulations to remove the current ban on advertising certain over the counter (OTC) medicines to the public were laid in Parliament today

9 Jun 2004

Discovery may help those susceptible to deep-vein thrombosis, strokes and recurrent miscarriages

Australian researchers at University of New South Wales have identified a mechanism than can cause blood clots - a discovery with implications for those susceptible to deep-vein thrombosis, strokes and recurrent miscarriages.

7 Jun 2004

Australia's CSIRO to exhibit major display at the world's largest biotechnology conference

CSIRO is mounting a major display of technologies this week at BIO 2004, the world's largest biotechnology conference, being held in San Francisco, USA, from 6-9 June.

7 Jun 2004

New method for identifying proteins found in trace quantities in the blood

Using conventional technologies, researchers supported by the National Cancer Institute (Science Applications International Corporation-Frederick, Inc. (SAIC)) have developed a new method for identifying proteins found in trace quantities in the blood.

5 Jun 2004