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7% of elementary school children infected with T. tonsurans: Pediatrics

Approximately 7 percent of elementary school children across the bi-state, Kansas City metropolitan area are infected with the fungus Trichophyton tonsurans, the leading cause of ringworm in the U.S., according to a new study published today in Pediatrics.

19 Apr 2010

Geographic regions with different kinds of birds and mammals could be a source of pathogens

If your home region has a hot, wet climate and a lot of different kinds of birds and mammals living in it, there's a really good chance the region will also contain numerous kinds of pathogens that cause human diseases.

16 Apr 2010

UDH to participate in Abbott's new PLEX-ID BPEP

Abbott today announced that the Utah Department of Health is one of five sites in the United States to participate in Abbott's new PLEX-ID Biopreparedness Evaluation Program, which involves Abbott, the Association of Public Health Laboratories and five state public health labs.

16 Apr 2010

Escherichia coli cases drop in 2009

As per a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a 12 % drop in rates of Escherichia coli (E.coli) infection has been noted in 2009 as compared to statistics for 2008. This is being seen by federal health officials as a sign that the new food safety measures are effective. Most of the pathogens under study are from the bacteria family like E.coli 0157, salmonella, campylobacter, listeria and vibrio. It was found that food poisoning rates for the most common pathogens have changed little from statistics collected in 2004.

16 Apr 2010

New Supramap web-based application to track and stop disease outbreaks

Pathogens can now be easily tracked in time and space as they evolve, an advance that could revolutionize both public health and inform national security in the fight against infectious diseases. Developed by researchers that include scientists at the American Museum of Natural History, Supramap is a new, powerful, web-based application that maps genetic mutations like those among the different strains of avian influenza onto the globe.

13 Apr 2010

Immune system mouse models help study biology of T cells and their role in toxoplasmosis

Using T cells primed for the infectious disease toxoplasmosis, Whitehead Institute researchers have created novel mouse models of the immune system that more accurately reflect how immune cells actually respond to pathogens in their presence.

9 Apr 2010

Researchers explore microbial infection of human cells in space environment

In a first-of-its-kind experiment, the unique conditions of spaceflight will be used to examine how cells remain healthy or succumb to disease, particularly in the face of stress or damage.

3 Apr 2010

New automated technology may help detect pathogens in food and water

Detecting one of the world's most common pathogens in drinking water soon may no longer be bottle-necked under a laboratory microscope.

3 Apr 2010

Mtb fine-tunes behaviour to escape detection and causes TB

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) possesses extraordinary survival ability by masking itself from the host immune system and persisting for decades inside the host. Speaking at the Society for General Microbiology's spring meeting in Edinburgh today, Dr Kristine Arnvig provides further insight into how the bacterium causes tuberculosis (TB) by fine-tuning its behaviour in response to its surroundings to escape detection.

1 Apr 2010

Bile secretions in small intestine send signals to disease-causing gut bacteria

Bile secretions in the small intestine send signals to disease-causing gut bacteria allowing them to change their behavior to maximize their chances of surviving, Montana State University research associate Steve Hamner told the Society for General Microbiology during its spring meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland.

1 Apr 2010

Panel of experts endorse effectiveness of Mirasol PRT System for preventing GVHD

CaridianBCT, a leading global provider of technology, products and services in the blood banking, transfusion medicine and cell therapy industries, today announced that a panel of medical and scientific experts have endorsed the effectiveness of the Mirasol® Pathogen Reduction Technology System for replacing gamma irradiation, the current standard of care for preventing transfusion-related Graft vs. Host Disease in platelet recipients.

31 Mar 2010

Preclinical study of DAS181 for treatment and prevention of ILI published

NexBio, Inc. announced today the publication in the Journal of Infectious Diseases of a preclinical study suggesting that treatment with DAS181 (Fludase®) may reduce the risk of secondary bacterial pneumonia following influenza virus infection.

30 Mar 2010

TB-causing bacteria can hijack fat metabolism to drive progression of the disease

The factors instrumental in triggering latent tuberculosis infection to progress into active disease have long remained elusive to researchers. New insight into the mystery is provided by Professor David Russell, speaking at the Society for General Microbiology's spring meeting in Edinburgh today. His work could help develop innovative strategies for treating the disease.

29 Mar 2010

Norovirus outbreak associated with oysters: FDA and Mississippi, Louisiana public health agencies issue warning

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working with state health officials from Mississippi and Louisiana to notify consumers, food service operators and retailers nationwide about an outbreak of norovirus associated with oysters recently harvested from an area near Port Sulphur, La. known as Area 7. The oysters were sold or distributed nationwide.

27 Mar 2010

Clinical Reference Laboratory completes validation testing of DNA Genotek's Oragene-DNA saliva collection kits

Clinical Reference Laboratory today announced that it has completed validation testing of DNA Genotek's Oragene-DNA saliva collection kits and will adopt Oragene-DNA for use with its molecular diagnostic services.

25 Mar 2010

Campylobacter cells can survive with biofilm protection

In research published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, IFR researchers have found that Campylobacter will readily form a biofilm under laboratory conditions, and that, when the bacteria were left in air, they respond to these stressful conditions by more rapidly forming this biofilm.

25 Mar 2010

AOAC Research Institute validates MicroSEQ Salmonella spp. Detection Kit

Life Technologies Corporation today announced that its Applied Biosystems MicroSEQ® Salmonella spp. Detection Kit has been validated by the AOAC Research Institute for detection of the bacteria Salmonella.

23 Mar 2010

T1D and IBD may respond to 2-way genetic switch: Study

Pediatric researchers analyzing DNA variations in type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease have found a complex interplay of genes. Some genes have opposing effects, raising the risk of one disease while protecting against the other. In other cases, a gene variant may act in the same direction, raising the risk for both diseases.

23 Mar 2010

University of Maryland professor honored with the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize

Dr. Rita Colwell, distinguished Professor from the University of Maryland and John Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health in the United States, has been named the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate. Dr. Colwell's pioneering research on the prevention of waterborne infectious diseases has helped protect the health and lives of millions.

22 Mar 2010

Researchers develop new compound to inhibit HIV transmission

A compound that can inhibit the transfer of HIV from one cell to another has been developed by researchers at the Institut de Biologie Structurale Jean-Pierre Ebel.

22 Mar 2010