Shingles News and Research

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Shingles (herpes zoster) is an outbreak of rash or blisters on the skin that is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox — the varicella-zoster virus. The first sign of shingles is often burning or tingling pain, or sometimes numbness or itch, in one particular location on only one side of the body.

New study links chicken pox and shingles virus to giant cell arteritis in elderly

A new study links the virus that causes chicken pox and shingles to a condition that inflames blood vessels on the temples and scalp in the elderly, called giant cell arteritis. The study is published in the February 18, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The condition can cause sudden blindness or stroke and can be life-threatening.

19 Feb 2015

International study shows potential new therapy to treat patients with neuropathic pain

An international study led by scientists at McGill University reports, for the first time, that drugs that selectively target the melatonin MT2 receptor represent a novel class of analgesic drugs that could be used to treat patients with neuropathic pain.

19 Feb 2015

New compound may lead to development of potential therapeutics for neuropathic pain

A new compound discovered by a team of UC Davis investigators has potent actions against production of a chemical that which is implicated in the development of chronic pain following a peripheral nerve injury in the spinal cord.

7 Feb 2015

ContraVir granted Type B meeting with FDA to discuss proposal for FV-100 Phase 3 trial

ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of targeted antiviral therapies, announced today that it has been granted a Type B meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss its proposal for the design of a Phase 3 trial of ContraVir's lead antiviral candidate, FV-100.

7 Jan 2015

Chimerix, ContraVir collaborate to develop and commercialize antiviral drug candidate CMX157

Chimerix, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, oral antivirals in areas of high unmet medical need, and ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of targeted antiviral therapies, announced today that the companies have entered into a strategic collaboration for the further clinical development and commercialization of CMX157.

18 Dec 2014

ContraVir begins pharmacokinetic study of FV-100 for treating shingles

ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of targeted antiviral therapies, announced today that it has initiated a pharmacokinetic (PK) study of FV-100, the Company's clinical-stage antiviral for treating shingles.

9 Dec 2014

Survey: Majority of U.S. adult women do not believe that they are up to date on vaccinations

A national survey from Rite Aid and National Foundation for Infectious Diseases reveals that the majority of adult women living in the United States do not believe they are up to date on vaccinations to protect against many preventable diseases.

11 Nov 2014

Foreign-born residents with low vaccination rates face greater risk of exposure to diseases

Foreign-born residents with low vaccination rates and their relatives in the U.S. are at greater risk of exposure to several vaccine-preventable diseases, e.g. influenza; pneumococcal diseases; tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis; hepatitis A; hepatitis B; shingles; and HPV, the human papilloma virus, which can lead to some types of cancer.

16 Oct 2014

Columbia University professor recommends vaccination for people travelling abroad

Planning to travel outside the U.S. this holiday season? Check with your primary care provider or travel clinic when you book your flight.

16 Oct 2014

Viewpoints: End-of-life discussions; seniors missing their vaccinations; health law's new political calculations

There is reason to hope that a degree of sanity may be returning to the touchy issue of advance planning for medical care at the end of life.

8 Sep 2014

Researchers determine safety and effectiveness of neurostimulation to treat chronic pain

Chronic pain, which persists despite the fact that an injury has healed, can last for many months or years and may affect up to 15 percent of the adult population at any point in time.

13 Aug 2014

SCILEX completes patient enrollment to study Ztlido for treatment of postherpetic neuralgia

SCILEX Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company engaged in the development and commercialization of late-stage pharmaceutical products focused on the treatment of pain, announced today that it has completed patient enrollment for the dermal safety studies and the pivotal pharmacokinetic study related to its investigational product Ztlido (lidocaine patch 1.8%), a next-generation branded lidocaine patch for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, also referred to as "after-shingles pain."

11 Aug 2014

Herpes zoster vaccine effective in protecting older adults against shingles, even after chemotherapy

The herpes zoster vaccine continues to be effective in protecting older adults against shingles, even after they undergo chemotherapy, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

5 Aug 2014

Trials show immunizations are effective in adults

As kids prepare to head back to school, required immunizations are typically on the to-do list, but getting potentially lifesaving vaccines should not end when adulthood begins, says one University of Alabama at Birmingham infectious diseases expert.

26 Jul 2014

BioLineRx announces in-licensing of BL-1110 compound for treatment of neuropathic pain

BioLineRx Ltd., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to identifying, in-licensing and developing promising therapeutic candidates, announced today it has in-licensed BL-1110, a novel compound for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

23 Jun 2014

Studies confirm importance of men seeing physician on regular basis

For many men being a father is about staying strong as they protect and care for their family. Some men see going to the doctor as a weakness or nuisance, but protecting your health is one of the best things a father can do for his family.

6 Jun 2014

UNC researchers find new enzyme target for treating chronic pain

Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have found a new target for treating chronic pain: an enzyme called PIP5K1C.

22 May 2014

College graduation is a time to reassess health insurance

College seniors need to add one item to their "to-do" list as graduation approaches: check out their insurance options, the Los Angeles Times reports. Also, KHN examines California Latinos' interest in getting health care in Mexico--even if they have purchased U.S. insurance.

6 May 2014

First Edition: May 5, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about how President Barack Obama poked fun at the health law during his White House Correspondents' Dinner speech.

5 May 2014

Patients' risk of stroke increases following shingles, but antiviral drugs appear to offer protection

Patients' risk of stroke significantly increased following the first signs of shingles, but antiviral drugs appeared to offer some protection, according to a new study in Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

3 Apr 2014