Infectious Diseases News and Research

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New TB diagnostic test effective in first large-scale field trial

Research assessing the effectiveness of a new diagnostic test for the detection of tuberculosis (TB) is featured in the Sept. 1 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

3 Sep 2010

New test detects TB faster, with more accuracy than current diagnostics, study says

A new molecular test for tuberculosis can diagnose the disease and detect a drug-resistant form of it in less than two hours and more accurately than current tests, according to the findings of a study published online in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, Reuters reports (Kelland, 9/1).

3 Sep 2010

Emergent BioSolutions signs contract with NIAID to develop third generation anthrax vaccine candidate

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. announced today that it has signed a contract valued at up to $28.7 million with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, an institute within the National Institutes of Health, for advanced development of the company's third generation anthrax vaccine candidate.

2 Sep 2010

Lytix Biopharma granted Hungarian approval for Lytixar Phase IIa clinical trial in Gram positive skin infections

The Norwegian pharmaceutical company Lytix Biopharma AS today announces the approval in Hungary to commence a Phase IIa clinical trial with Lytixar (LTX-109) treatment of skin infections caused by Gram positive bacteria.

2 Sep 2010

HIV-infected children who receive HAART require revaccination: Researchers

HIV-infected children receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy may require revaccination to maintain immunity against preventable diseases. There remains no standard or official recommendation on revaccination of children receiving HAART, an effective intervention in reducing morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected children.

2 Sep 2010

WHO proposes creation of African Public Health Emergency Fund, strategy to reduce alcohol use in Africa

During the 60th session of the Africa Committee of the WHO on Monday, Luis Sambo, regional director of the WHO for Africa, proposed the creation of a public health emergency fund to provide financial support to African countries in emergency situations, Agencia AngolaPress reports (8/30).

2 Sep 2010

Abbott RealTime HBV assay receives marketing approval from FDA

Abbott announced today it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market the Abbott RealTime HBV assay for measuring viral load or the amount of hepatitis B virus in a patient's blood. It is the first and only approved test capable of automating HBV viral load testing from sample extraction to final results.

2 Sep 2010

Neutralizing key toxin associated with Staph aureus bacteria reduces severity of skin and soft-tissue damage

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health and University of Chicago have found a promising treatment method that in laboratory mice reduces the severity of skin and soft-tissue damage caused by USA300, the leading cause of community-associated Staphylococcus aureus infections in the United States.

2 Sep 2010

Researchers find new fusion protein for E.coli bacterium vaccine development

South Dakota State University research is exploring a "fusion strategy" for making improved vaccines to protect pigs and humans against some strains of E. coli.

2 Sep 2010

High vitamin D level improves survival rate in heart failure patients: Study

Survival rates in heart failure patients with reduced levels of vitamin D are lower than in patients with normal levels. This is the finding of a major study carried out at University Medical Center, Groningen, Netherlands. Results also suggest that low levels of vitamin D are associated with activation of the Renin Angiotensin System (RAS - a pivotal regulatory system in heart failure) and an altered cytokine profile.

2 Sep 2010

Study to determine how often chronic Lyme disease is diagnosed and treated

A study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics attempts to determine how often chronic Lyme disease is actually being diagnosed and treated.

2 Sep 2010

Medicago included in President's report that examines drugs to prevent spread of infectious diseases

Medicago Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing highly effective and affordable vaccines based on proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles, today announced that it was included in a report of President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology entitled "Report to the President on Reengineering the Influenza Vaccine Production Enterprise to Meet the Challenges of Pandemic Influenza", which was released earlier this month. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and other public health officials held a briefing to discuss this report and the $2 billion plan to accelerate the development of drugs and vaccines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

31 Aug 2010

Mandatory influenza vaccination for healthcare personnel needed

Influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel is a professional and ethical responsibility and non-compliance with healthcare facility policies regarding vaccination should not be tolerated, according to a position paper released today by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).

31 Aug 2010

Researchers find infectious disease proliferation in complex networks

A team of researchers led by Dr. Hern-n Makse, professor of physics at The City College of New York (CCNY), has shed new light on the way that information and infectious diseases proliferate across complex networks.

30 Aug 2010

Scientists develop microarray technology to create blood transcriptional signatures for infectious diseases

It may soon be possible to identify patients who will develop tuberculosis, as scientists have identified changes in the blood specific to the disease. These findings are from an international study published in the August 19 issue of Nature and conducted by doctors and researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital using blood profiling techniques to understand infections.

30 Aug 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

"[N]ew diagnostic techniques [for tuberculosis] need to be studied in children," according to a Lancet Infectious Diseases Reflection. "Tuberculosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide, but estimates of disease burden are inaccurate because most cases are not confirmed," the author writes. He discusses a study published in the same issue that examines various methods for diagnosing TB in children.

27 Aug 2010

'Molecular Diagnostics Europe' conference debuts at BIOTECHNICA 2010

BIOTECHNICA, Europe's Leading Exhibition for Biotechnology and Life Sciences, is broadening its portfolio to include a new conference and special display on molecular diagnostics. Produced by the Cambridge Healthtech Institute, a leading organizer of biomedical conferences in the United States, the "Molecular Diagnostics Europe" (MDxEU) conference is making its debut this year. The main focus will be on new methods for molecular diagnostics, particularly with regard to cancer and infectious diseases.

27 Aug 2010

Researchers identify molecule to slow down dysfunctional immune response in hemorrhagic shock

Researchers have isolated a molecule, small enough to be used as a drug, that can shut down a dysfunctional immune response that causes deadly hemorrhagic shock, results in delayed death of heart attack patients, promotes rejection of transplanted organs and destroys joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to a paper published in Molecular Immunology.

27 Aug 2010

U-M researchers explore prevention measures, treatments for C. difficile infection

Clostridium difficile, a wily, familiar bacterium, causes a growing number of serious infections in U.S. hospitals and nursing homes. With a $7.5 million, five-year award from the National Institutes of Health, University of Michigan researchers plan to discover what factors in the microbe and in patients make C. difficile a formidable, costly problem.

27 Aug 2010

Coalition of organizations request FDA to govern antibiotic usage in food animal production

Today a broad coalition of organizations hand-delivered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more than 180,000 letters responding to the agency's request for comments on rules governing the use of antibiotics on industrial farms.

27 Aug 2010

Infectious Diseases News and Research

New TB diagnostic test effective in first large-scale field trial

New test detects TB faster, with more accuracy than current diagnostics, study says

Emergent BioSolutions signs contract with NIAID to develop third generation anthrax vaccine candidate

Lytix Biopharma granted Hungarian approval for Lytixar Phase IIa clinical trial in Gram positive skin infections

HIV-infected children who receive HAART require revaccination: Researchers

WHO proposes creation of African Public Health Emergency Fund, strategy to reduce alcohol use in Africa

Abbott RealTime HBV assay receives marketing approval from FDA

Neutralizing key toxin associated with Staph aureus bacteria reduces severity of skin and soft-tissue damage

Researchers find new fusion protein for E.coli bacterium vaccine development

High vitamin D level improves survival rate in heart failure patients: Study

Study to determine how often chronic Lyme disease is diagnosed and treated

Medicago included in President's report that examines drugs to prevent spread of infectious diseases

Mandatory influenza vaccination for healthcare personnel needed

Researchers find infectious disease proliferation in complex networks

Scientists develop microarray technology to create blood transcriptional signatures for infectious diseases

Recent releases in Global Health

'Molecular Diagnostics Europe' conference debuts at BIOTECHNICA 2010

Researchers identify molecule to slow down dysfunctional immune response in hemorrhagic shock

U-M researchers explore prevention measures, treatments for C. difficile infection

Coalition of organizations request FDA to govern antibiotic usage in food animal production

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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