Sanitization News and Research

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Viewpoints: U.S. 'designed for stalemate'; tea party's last stand?; 'war over Obamacare' not over

Though the big social insurance programs are still running, many federal programs that directly target those in the most need are either empty or running on fumes. ... The growth of the modern state is tied to the awareness of public issues in health and the need to address them.

8 Oct 2013

Clean water and growth of children: an interview with Dr Alan Dangour

Growth in children is known to be directly affected by two critical factors: food intake and incidence of disease. It is known that access to good quality water, improved sanitation and enhanced hygiene (WASH) practices lead to decreased levels of infectious disease in children. We were interested to know whether this decline in disease would lead to improvements in child growth.

23 Sep 2013

Research provides answers to issues related to human pathogens in mushroom growth substrate

Strict requirements on the use of animal manures in fresh produce production imposed by the new federal food-safety law threatened to adversely impact the mushroom industry, which relies on horse and poultry manure for a specialized growth substrate.

23 Sep 2013

Researchers identify starting points for preventing diarrheal disease outbreaks in remote Africa

Using a simple survey tool, a team of researchers has done what complex studies have failed to do -- provide data that identifies starting points for preventing diarrheal disease outbreaks in at least one region of Africa.

18 Sep 2013

Understanding essential role of gut microbes in immune system

A new understanding of the essential role of gut microbes in the immune system may hold the key to dealing with some of the more significant health problems facing people in the world today, Oregon State University researchers say in a new analysis.

17 Sep 2013

Research: New pathway plays role in fighting gut infection

The researchers found virulent E. coli bacteria blocked a pathway that would normally protect the gut from infection. These infections are particularly serious in young children and can result in diarrhoea and other complications such as kidney damage.

12 Sep 2013

Annual treated wastewater in North America roughly equals volume of Niagara Falls; less than 4% is reused

Amid growing competition for freshwater from industry and cities, coupled with a rising world shortage of potash, nitrogen and phosphorus, an international study predicts a rapid increase in the use of treated wastewater for farming and other purposes worldwide.

7 Sep 2013

PaxVax commences phase 3 clinical trial for single-dose oral cholera vaccine candidate

PaxVax Inc, which develops and commercializes innovative vaccines against infectious diseases in a socially responsible manner, today announced that it has commenced its Phase 3 clinical trial program for its single-dose oral cholera vaccine candidate, PXVX0200 (also known as CVD 103-HgR). Approximately 3,000 participants will be enrolled in this pivotal program, which is comprised of cholera challenge, safety, and immunogenicity studies.

7 Sep 2013

Kenyan-based ZanaAfrica creates affordable sanitary pad with high quality

Kenyan social enterprise ZanaAfrica Group is recognized as a leading innovator in global health, education and development with the receipt of the highly selective "Phase II Grand Challenges Exploration" grant, a partnership between Grand Challenges Canada (which is funded by the Government of Canada) and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

6 Sep 2013

Many developing countries in Asia-Pacific region face twin burdens of under and overnutrition

Asia and the Pacific's drive for food security has focused too narrowly on quantity, with a surge in obesity and still high levels of malnutrition in some countries highlighting the need for a new approach, says a new Asian Development Bank study.

5 Sep 2013

High-income and better hygiene countries exhibit much higher rates of Alzheimer's

New research has found a "very significant" relationship between a nation's wealth and hygiene and the Alzheimer's "burden" on its population. High-income, highly industrialised countries with large urban areas and better hygiene exhibit much higher rates of Alzheimer's.

5 Sep 2013

UT faculty members, students working together to improve disaster preparedness in Clay County

In Clay County, Kentucky, clean water is hard to come by. If a tornado hit the area, shelter and medical treatment also would be hard to find. A group of faculty members and students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is trying to change this situation.

4 Sep 2013

Researchers find parasitic worms limit effects of autoimmune and other diseases

If the idea of hookworms makes you shudder, consider this: Those pesky intestinal parasites may actually help your body ward off other infections, and perhaps even prevent autoimmune and other diseases.

31 Aug 2013

Study confirms exposure to arsenic in drinking water can impair lung function

A new study confirms that exposure to low to moderate amounts of arsenic in drinking water can impair lung function. Doses of about 120 parts per billion of arsenic in well water-about 12 times the dose generally considered safe-produced lung damage comparable to decades of smoking tobacco. Smoking, especially by males, made arsenic-related damage even worse.

23 Aug 2013

Study shows plasma-treated carbon nanotubes are ideal for water purification

Access to safe drinking water is a step closer to being a reality for those in developing countries. A study paves the way for the next generation of portable water purification devices, which could provide relief to the 780 million people around the world who face every day without access to a clean water supply.

22 Aug 2013

New report shows that access to clean water and soap may boost growth in children

Improving water quality and hygiene practices may improve the growth of children, according to a new report. The Cochrane review – authored by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and WaterAid – found evidence of small but significant improvements in growth of children under the age of five who have access to clean water and soap.

1 Aug 2013

Solar-powered sterilization system could be boon for people who lack adequate sanitation

Rice University nanotechnology researchers have unveiled a solar-powered sterilization system that could be a boon for more than 2.5 billion people who lack adequate sanitation. The "solar steam" sterilization system uses nanomaterials to convert as much as 80 percent of the energy in sunlight into germ-killing heat.

24 Jul 2013

Wellcome Trust launches global funding scheme to seed research on the future of human health

The Wellcome Trust today launches a global funding scheme to seed research into the impact of a changing world on the future of human health.

12 Jul 2013

Comprehensive analysis of disease burden in US

In nearly every major cause of premature death - from ischemic heart disease to diabetes to interpersonal violence - the United States trails its economic peers, according to new research from a global collaborative of scientists led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.