Chickenpox News and Research

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Study confirms safety of two measles-containing vaccines

A 12-year study of two measles-containing vaccines, published today in Pediatrics, found that seven main adverse outcomes were unlikely after either vaccine.

5 Jan 2015

Ebola outbreak emphasizes the importance of monitoring disease burden in developing countries

A study recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology shows that for Ebola, measles, syphilis and many other conditions with skin manifestations the mortality rates are hundreds of times higher in developing countries than they are in developed countries.

16 Oct 2014

FDA approves GlaxoSmithKline’s Arnuity Ellipta for treatment of asthma

GlaxoSmithKline plc today announced that the FDA has approved Arnuity™ Ellipta® (fluticasone furoate inhalation powder), a once-daily inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) medicine for maintenance treatment of asthma as prophylactic therapy in patients aged 12 years and older. Arnuity is not indicated for relief of acute bronchospasm.

21 Aug 2014

Herpes zoster vaccine effective in protecting older adults against shingles, even after chemotherapy

The herpes zoster vaccine continues to be effective in protecting older adults against shingles, even after they undergo chemotherapy, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

5 Aug 2014

Interactions with other infections can trigger herpes virus to reactivate, shows research

The famous slogan is "A diamond is forever," but that phrase might be better suited to herpes: Unlike most viruses, which succumb to the immune system's attack, herpes remains in the body forever, lying in wait, sometimes reactivating years later.

27 Jun 2014

Combined MMRV vaccine slightly increases risk of febrile seizures in children

The combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine shows a slightly increased risk of febrile seizures in children, compared with the previously separate vaccines for MMR and varicella (chickenpox) (MMR+V), according to an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

10 Jun 2014

Patients' risk of stroke increases following shingles, but antiviral drugs appear to offer protection

Patients' risk of stroke significantly increased following the first signs of shingles, but antiviral drugs appeared to offer some protection, according to a new study in Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

3 Apr 2014

Longer reads: Hospice drains Medicare; false Obamacare 'horror stories;' growing up without vaccines

Hospice patients are expected to die: The treatment focuses on providing comfort to the terminally ill, not finding a cure. To enroll a patient, two doctors certify a life expectancy of six months or less. But over the past decade, the number of "hospice survivors" in the United States has risen dramatically, in part because hospice companies earn more by recruiting patients who aren't actually dying, a Washington Post investigation has found. Healthier patients are more profitable because they require fewer visits and stay enrolled longer (Peter Whoriskey and Dan Keating, 12/26).

9 Jan 2014

Shingles may increase risk of stroke in later life, study finds

Having shingles may increase the risk of having a stroke years later, according to research published in the January 2, 2014, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

2 Jan 2014

Emergent BioSolutions enters into definitive agreement to acquire Cangene

Emergent BioSolutions Inc.announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Cangene Corporation (TSX: CNJ) under which Emergent will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Cangene in an all-cash transaction valued at $3.24 per share on a fully diluted basis for an aggregate purchase price of $222 million.

12 Dec 2013

Viewpoints: Senate should reconsider treaty on protections for people with disabilities; HHS treading wrong way on payments for bone marrow donors

About a year ago the Senate fell five votes short of ratifying an international treaty that would improve protections for the disabled. It was an ignoble spectacle as the opponents rebuffed Bob Dole, a former colleague and disabled veteran, who came to the Senate floor to lobby for it.

26 Nov 2013

Once-daily prescription medicine for COPD now available throughout the U.S.

GlaxoSmithKline plc and Theravance, Inc. today announced that BREO ELLIPTA, a once-daily prescription medicine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is now available to pharmacies throughout the U.S.

30 Oct 2013

Measles-containing vaccines administered at 12-5 months of age associated with reduced risk of fever, seizures

Children receiving measles-containing vaccines at 12-15 months of age have a lower increased risk of fever and seizures than those who receive them at 16-23 months of age, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published in JAMA Pediatrics.

15 Oct 2013

Discovery paves way for development of new medicines to combat herpes infections

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden and Carnegie Mellon University have for the first time managed to measure the internal pressure that enables the herpes virus to infect cells in the human body. The discovery paves the way for the development of new medicines to combat viral infections. The results indicate good chances to stop herpes infections in the future.

3 Oct 2013

Inherited human herpesvirus 6 affects telomere stability and reactivates

Up to half a million people in Britain today may not know it, but in their genetic material they carry a particular form of herpesvirus 6 inherited from a parent.

21 Sep 2013

Undervaccination results in increased risk for whooping cough in young children

Undervaccination – not receiving all recommended vaccinations or not being vaccinated according to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices schedule – results in an increased risk for whooping cough in children 3 to 36 months of age, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study.

12 Sep 2013

Apoptosis can reactivate latent herpesviruses in dying cell

Researchers have found that apoptosis, a natural process of programmed cell death, can reactivate latent herpesviruses in the dying cell. The results of their research, which could have broad clinical significance since many cancer chemotherapies cause apoptosis, was published ahead of print in the Journal of Virology.

6 Sep 2013

Study: Apoptosis triggers alternate replication pathway in HHV

Washington, DC-Researchers from Children's National Medical Center have found that an alternate, "escape" replication process triggered by apoptosis-the process of cell death or "cell suicide"-appears to be common in human herpesviruses (HHV).

28 Aug 2013

Discovery of pressure-driven infection mechanism opens door to new treatments for viral infections

The virus that causes those painful lip blisters known as cold sores has an internal pressure eight times higher than a car tire, and uses it to literally blast its infectious DNA into human cells, scientists are reporting in a new study.

25 Jul 2013

Acorda Therapeutics acquires two neuropathic pain management assets from NeurogesX

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that it has acquired two neuropathic pain management assets from NeurogesX, Inc. Qutenza is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the management of neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia.

9 Jul 2013