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Virologists demonstrate how poxviruses defeat the body's host immune defenses

Smallpox virus, which killed millions of humans through the ages, ranks among the world's most feared bioterrorism agents. Human monkeypox continues to occur sporadically in remote African villages.

11 Dec 2015

Scientists find effective antiviral mechanisms to inhibit chikungunya virus

Scientists looking at the antiviral mechanisms of two previously identified human monoclonal antibodies have found they potently inhibit chikungunya virus (CHIKV) at multiple stages of infection.

11 Dec 2015

TB sidetracked in the fight against HIV epidemic in Malawi

Tuberculosis seems to have fallen between the cracks in poverty-stricken Malawi's sponsor-dependent health sector. The dominating focus on HIV may have left parts of Africa with a skewed health service, say researchers.

11 Dec 2015

New framework launched for global elimination of human rabies

A new framework to eliminate human rabies and save tens of thousands of lives each year has been launched today by the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Global Alliance for the Control of Rabies.

10 Dec 2015

Halyard Health to develop high-speed machine to manufacture respirators for use during pandemic

Halyard Health Inc., formerly Kimberly-Clark Health Care, today announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Under the contract, BARDA will fund research by Halyard to develop a one-of-a-kind, high-speed machine to manufacture N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs) that can be used during a pandemic.

10 Dec 2015

Sinovac gets approval to begin clinical trials on Sabin Inactivated Polio Vaccine candidate

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, today announced that the Company has obtained approval to begin human clinical trials on its Sabin Inactivated Polio Vaccine (or "sIPV") candidate.

10 Dec 2015

WHO launches new comprehensive analysis of global health trends

The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a new comprehensive analysis of global health trends since 2000 and an assessment of the challenges for the next 15 years.

10 Dec 2015

Study reveals molecular function of protein essential for replication of H5N1 flu virus

An international collaboration of scientists from the CEA, CNRS, University Joseph Fourier, the EMBL and the ILL has revealed the molecular function of a protein essential for replication of H5N1 influenza virus.

10 Dec 2015

Eyes and a clean citrusy smell may help reduce hospital infections

A picture of a man's intense staring eyes and a clean citrusy smell have been found to substantially improve hand-washing and so cut the risk of hospital infections, according to a new study.

10 Dec 2015

More than half of U.S. hospitals don't require flu shots for staff, new study finds

Within weeks, flu will start spreading across North America, sickening millions of people. It will hit people with health problems and weak immune systems hardest, and may kill tens of thousands of them.

10 Dec 2015

Bacteriophage-based method may improve efficiency of bacteria detectors

Viruses that attack bacteria - bacteriophages - can be fussy: they only inject their genetic material into the bacteria that suit them. The fussiness of bacteriophages can be exploited in order to detect specific species of bacteria. Scientists from Warsaw have just demonstrated that bacteriophage-based biosensors will be much more efficient if prior to the deposition on the surface of the bacteriophage sensor their orientation is ordered in electric field.

9 Dec 2015

Oxitec prepares to increase supplies of OX513A to address recent outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil

Intrexon Corporation, a leader in synthetic biology, today announced that Oxitec, a UK-based subsidiary of the Company, is prepared to increase supplies of its proprietary mosquito control solution, OX513A, through its Brazil facilities to assist Brazil in addressing the recent devastating outbreak of the Zika virus and other diseases transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

8 Dec 2015

Simple approach to predict viral evolution may improve vaccine efficacy

New results from a study performed at the University of Helsinki suggest that genomic information from circulating influenza viruses can help in producing more efficient seasonal vaccines. The researchers were able to develop a simple approach for reliable real-time tracking and prediction of viral evolution based on whole-genome sequences of influenza viruses.

8 Dec 2015

Paracetamol provides no benefits in fighting influenza virus

Some doctors may recommend that patients with the flu take acetaminophen, or paracetemol, to relieve their symptoms; however, a new randomized clinical trial found no benefits to the over-the-counter medication in terms of fighting the influenza virus or reducing patients' temperature or other symptoms.

8 Dec 2015

Young men with HIV engage in risky sexual behavior

Young men who have sex with men and have detectable levels of HIV were more likely to report not using a condom during anal intercourse with a partner not infected with HIV, compared with virologically suppressed young men who have sex with men, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

8 Dec 2015

ESCMID’s EUCAST plays key role in defining antimicrobial resistance in Europe and globally

The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (ESCMID) – an organization that pursues science, explores risk assessment, knowledge sharing and best practices in the fight against infectious disease – is currently researching the new critical breakpoints for antimicrobial agents in clinical development through its European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST).

8 Dec 2015

Innovative DNA technology enables faster and more effective diagnosis of TB cases

Whole Genome Sequencing is a faster, cheaper and more effective way of diagnosing tuberculosis says a new study published in the journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

8 Dec 2015

Quest Diagnostics performs RNA testing on patient specimens to detect more cases of HCV

In its commitment to provide diagnostic insights that enhance patient care and outcomes, Quest Diagnostics will automatically perform molecular testing on all patient specimens whose antibody screening results indicate hepatitis C virus infection, and remove standalone positive antibody screening as a test option.

From Quest Diagnostics 8 Dec 2015

Scientists decipher details of cloaking proteins that protect the toxin that causes botulism

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and collaborators at Stony Brook University and the Institute of Advanced Sciences in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, have discovered new details about how "cloaking" proteins protect the toxin that causes botulism, a fatal disease caused most commonly by consuming improperly canned foods.

7 Dec 2015

Reduced antibiotic prescribing associated with lower patient satisfaction

Reduced antibiotic prescribing is associated with lower patient satisfaction on the national General Practice Patient Survey, according to a new study by King's College London. The study found a 25 per cent lower rate of antibiotic prescribing by a GP practice corresponded to a 5-6 point reduction on GP satisfaction rankings.

7 Dec 2015

Disease/Infection News

Virologists demonstrate how poxviruses defeat the body's host immune defenses

Scientists find effective antiviral mechanisms to inhibit chikungunya virus

TB sidetracked in the fight against HIV epidemic in Malawi

New framework launched for global elimination of human rabies

Halyard Health to develop high-speed machine to manufacture respirators for use during pandemic

Sinovac gets approval to begin clinical trials on Sabin Inactivated Polio Vaccine candidate

WHO launches new comprehensive analysis of global health trends

Study reveals molecular function of protein essential for replication of H5N1 flu virus

Eyes and a clean citrusy smell may help reduce hospital infections

More than half of U.S. hospitals don't require flu shots for staff, new study finds

Bacteriophage-based method may improve efficiency of bacteria detectors

Oxitec prepares to increase supplies of OX513A to address recent outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil

Simple approach to predict viral evolution may improve vaccine efficacy

Paracetamol provides no benefits in fighting influenza virus

Young men with HIV engage in risky sexual behavior

ESCMID’s EUCAST plays key role in defining antimicrobial resistance in Europe and globally

Innovative DNA technology enables faster and more effective diagnosis of TB cases

Quest Diagnostics performs RNA testing on patient specimens to detect more cases of HCV

Scientists decipher details of cloaking proteins that protect the toxin that causes botulism

Reduced antibiotic prescribing associated with lower patient satisfaction

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

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