Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Authors propose mathematical model to study malaria transmission

Malaria affects over 200 million individuals every year and kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. The disease varies greatly from region to region in the species that cause it and in the carriers that spread it. It is easily transmitted across regions through travel and migration. This results in outbreaks of the disease even in regions that are essentially malaria-free, such as the United States.

21 Jun 2012

Unwelcome hotel ‘guests’ uncovered

An investigation into the cleanliness of various surfaces and objects in hotel rooms in three US states has revealed that 81% of surfaces are contaminated with coliform bacteria.

20 Jun 2012

UMMS researcher receives Janssen Award for microRNA discovery

Longtime collaborators Victor R. Ambros, PhD, of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) and Gary B. Ruvkun, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, were awarded the 2012 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research today by Johnson & Johnson for their co-discovery of microRNA, tiny molecules that are now understood to play a powerful role in gene expression and regulation.

20 Jun 2012

Young men with HIV more likely to experience low bone mass

Young men being treated for HIV are more likely to experience low bone mass than are other men their age, according to results from a research network supported by the National Institutes of Health. The findings indicate that physicians who care for these patients should monitor them regularly for signs of bone thinning, which could foretell a risk for fractures. The young men in the study did not have HIV at birth and had been diagnosed with HIV an average of two years earlier.

20 Jun 2012

HCV suppression reduces liver damage

Profound suppression of the hepatitis C virus reduces long-term hepatic inflammation and fibrosis even in patients who do not achieve a sustained virologic response, research demonstrates.

19 Jun 2012

e-Therapeutics commences enrollment in ETS2101 phase I trial for brain cancer

e-Therapeutics plc announces the start of the first clinical trial evaluating its compound ETS2101 as a treatment for cancer. The phase I trial is enrolling patients with primary brain cancer (glioma) or cancer that has spread to the brain from other sites.

19 Jun 2012

Tips to keep children healthy and safe in swimming pools

With the hot, muggy summer season arriving, kids will be heading to the pool to cool off. While swimming is refreshing, fun and good exercise, even chlorinated pools contain many germs that can make them ill. Mayo Clinic pediatric experts warn that many swimmers may not be aware of the water illnesses associated with pools due to the germs that can linger.

19 Jun 2012

Commensal bacteria essential to fight off viral infections

Healthy humans harbor an enormous and diverse group of bacteria and other bugs that live within their intestines. These microbial partners provide beneficial aid in multiple ways - from helping digest food to the development of a healthy immune system.

19 Jun 2012

Positive interim data from Innate MIS416 Phase 1/2 clinical trial for chronic progressive MS

Innate Immunotherapeutics today announced positive interim data from the company's Phase 1/2 clinical trial of MIS416 in patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).

18 Jun 2012

Novel strategy for neutralizing unwanted molecules and clearing them from the body

Researchers have unveiled a novel strategy for neutralizing unwanted molecules and clearing them from the body.

18 Jun 2012

Wellcome Trust awards University of Maryland $4M to accelerate development of conjugate NTS vaccine

The University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) has received a $4 million Strategic Translation Award from the prestigious Wellcome Trust to support a collaboration with Bharat Biotech for clinical development of a new conjugate vaccine to prevent the potentially lethal infectious disease caused by invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella.

18 Jun 2012

AIDS Institute proposes increases for AIDS medications and level funding for prevention

"The AIDS Institute thanks Chairman Tom Harkin for his leadership in maintaining the United States Senate's strong commitment to domestic HIV programs by increasing funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) and maintaining funding for HIV prevention and other parts of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program," commented Carl Schmid, Deputy Executive Director of The AIDS Institute.

16 Jun 2012

Study calls for overhaul in health care practices for elderly prisoners

Soaring numbers of older, sicker prisoners are causing an unprecedented health care challenge for the nation's criminal justice system, according to a new UCSF report.

15 Jun 2012

Advances in robotic spine surgery

1. Please could you give a brief outline of robotic spine surgery and its recent history? Robotic spine surgery is very new, less than 10 years old. There are only 10 hospitals in the US offering it and we are the second hospital in California to offer this technology.

15 Jun 2012

NIH awards $9 million grant to study aging and immunity to infections

The Trudeau Institute today announced that faculty member Laura Haynes, Ph.D., was awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study how aging impacts the immune system's response to influenza infection and vaccination.

15 Jun 2012

Breast milk protects against oral transmission of HIV

More than 15 percent of new HIV infections occur in children. Without treatment, only 65 percent of HIV-infected children will live until their first birthday, and fewer than half will make it to the age of two. Although breastfeeding is attributed to a significant number of these infections, most breastfed infants are not infected with HIV, despite prolonged and repeated exposure.

15 Jun 2012

Tooth scaling reduces CV disease risk

Taiwanese study results show that undergoing tooth scaling significantly reduces the risk for future myocardial infarction, stroke, and total cardiovascular events.

14 Jun 2012

First inventory of microbial diversity in the world's oceans

The landmark publication this week of a "map" of the bacterial make-up of healthy humans has deep roots in an unexpected place: the ocean.

14 Jun 2012

Researchers identify primary player of the biochemical bugle call

Researchers have identified the primary player of the biochemical bugle call that musters the body's defenders against viral infection.

14 Jun 2012

Advaxis announces publication of preclinical research with ADXS-PSA

Advaxis, Inc., a leader in developing the next generation of immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases, announced the publication of preclinical research with ADXS-PSA (ADXS31-142), Advaxis' Lm-LLO immunotherapy targeting the PSA antigen associated with prostate cancer.

14 Jun 2012