Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Protozoan parasite may be the cause for dinosaur extinction

Infectious diseases can be transmitted by sneezing, touching, or - for Tasmanian devils - biting each other on the face, a habit that may have driven the dinosaurs to extinction through the transmission of a protozoan parasite.

15 Dec 2009

Scientists create Pandemic Influenza Planning Tool to model the spread of pandemic influenza

As communities brace for rising wintertime influenza cases, scientists are developing a mathematical and visual analytic toolkit to help health officials quickly analyze pandemics and craft better response strategies.

15 Dec 2009

Modified blood adult stem-cell transplant regimen reverses sickle cell disease

A modified blood adult stem-cell transplant regimen has effectively reversed sickle cell disease in 9 of 10 adults who had been severely affected by the disease, according to results of a National Institutes of Health study in the Dec. 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

13 Dec 2009

Clinical trial of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine

HIV-infected adults currently are being recruited to participate in a clinical trial of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine. The study, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health, will enroll approximately 240 men and women between the ages of 18 and 64.

13 Dec 2009

NCKUH and NHRI sponsor virology lab in Vietnam Children’s Hospital

A Virology Lab in Children’s Hospital No. 1 (CH1), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, sponsored by National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH) and National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) in Taiwan was launched on November 11th, 2009.

11 Dec 2009

Speaker Pelosi lauds lift of ban on federal funding for syringe exchange initiatives

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today applauding the inclusion of language in the fiscal year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act lifting the ban on federal funding for syringe exchange initiatives to prevent the spread of HIV. The omnibus bill passed the House this afternoon by a vote of 221 to 202.

11 Dec 2009

NIH awards $14.6M for Eukaryotic Pathogen Genome Database Resource expansion

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Georgia have been awarded a five-year, $14.6 million contract from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the US National Institutes of Health, to expand and extend work on the Eukaryotic Pathogen Genome Database Resource, http://EuPathDB.org.

11 Dec 2009

FY2010 State and Foreign Ops bill expected to move on the Hill this month

The fiscal year 2010 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, which includes funding for global health-related measures, "is moving on the Hill as part of a mammoth catch-all spending bill that's expected to move through both chambers this month," Foreign Policy's blog, "The Cable," reports. "

10 Dec 2009

Second-quarter fiscal 2010 results announced by Peregrine Pharmaceuticals

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2010 ended October 31, 2009. Total revenue for the second quarter of FY 2010 increased 255% to $6,896,000, compared to $1,941,000 for the comparable prior year quarter.

10 Dec 2009

Study reveals increased discussion on flu vaccines has no significant impact on public's behavior

Seasonal flu vaccination rates among American adults have only slightly improved over last year, despite increased public discussion of the importance of influenza vaccines resulting from the worldwide outbreak of the H1N1 virus.

10 Dec 2009

Pharma IQ to organize Anti-Infectives Summit in Philadelphia

Organized by Pharma IQ, a division of IQPC, the Anti-Infectives Summit will be held January 25-27, 2010 in Philadelphia, PA (www.anti-infectivesummit.com). This forum explores recent advances within anti-infective drug discovery and development, and is geared towards Chief Scientific Officers and Scientists working in microbiology, immunology, infectious diseases, medicinal chemistry and drug development.

From IQPC Ltd 10 Dec 2009

Research suggests that everyday germs may prevent diseases in adulthood

A new Northwestern University study suggests that American parents should ease up on antibacterial soap and perhaps allow their little ones a romp or two in the mud --- or at least a much better acquaintance with everyday germs.

9 Dec 2009

H1N1 virus produces pulmonary damage similar to earlier flu pandemics

In fatal cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza, the virus can damage cells throughout the respiratory airway, much like the viruses that caused the 1918 and 1957 influenza pandemics, report researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

8 Dec 2009

Abstracts on very small embryonic-like stem cells presented at ASH annual meeting

NeoStem, Inc., which is pioneering the pre-disease collection, processing and long-term storage of adult stem cells for future medical need and holds the exclusive, worldwide license to VSEL(TM) technology that uses very small embryonic-like stem cells isolated from peripheral blood, announced today that an abstract authored by NeoStem-affiliated scientists was presented in a poster presentation at the prestigious American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in New Orleans on December 5, 2009.

8 Dec 2009

PolyMedix to present data on its heptagonist compounds

PolyMedix, Inc. (http://polymedix.com), an emerging biotechnology company developing acute care therapeutic drug products for infectious diseases and cardiovascular disorders, announced that data will be presented on its heptagonist compounds at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in New Orleans, Louisiana.

8 Dec 2009

People infected with West Nile virus may have persistent virus in their kidneys, shows study

A new study shows that people who have been infected with West Nile virus may have persistent virus in their kidneys for years after initial infection, potentially leading to kidney problems.

8 Dec 2009

bioMerieux announces the upcoming availability of ABxAlert from ICNet International

bioMerieux, a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics, announced the upcoming availability of ABxAlert® from ICNet International Ltd., a global clinical informatics company, at the 44th American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition.

8 Dec 2009

European scientists discuss strategies to strengthen the role of EU in promoting global public health

Taken together, the EU's member states constitute the world's largest aid donor to the low and middle-income countries, and the largest trade zone. This puts the EU in a unique position to contribute to better global health. But first, its member states must decide on their goals and how they can work together to achieve them.

5 Dec 2009

Chicken pox vaccine also reduces risk of herpes zoster in children

Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is very rare among children who have been vaccinated against chicken pox, according to a Kaiser Permanente study in the December issue of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal.

5 Dec 2009

Tips to prevent H1N1 infection

National Handwashing Awareness Week is from Dec. 6 to 12, and a Geisinger physician advises that with the presence of the H1N1 virus this year, handwashing is more important than ever.

5 Dec 2009