Disease/Infection News

RSS

Ebola vaccine shows promising results in human trial

An experimental vaccine against the Ebola virus has proved effective and well-tolerated in the first human trial of a candidate Ebola drug.

27 Nov 2014

Therapeutic nanoparticle safe, effective against H. pylori infection, shows study

The bacterium Helicobacter pylori is strongly associated with gastric ulcers and cancer. To combat the infection, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Jacobs School of Engineering developed LipoLLA, a therapeutic nanoparticle that contains linolenic acid, a component in vegetable oils.

27 Nov 2014

Experimental Ebola vaccine appears safe, produces immune system responses in NIH phase 1 trial

An experimental vaccine to prevent Ebola virus disease was well-tolerated and produced immune system responses in all 20 healthy adults who received it in a Phase 1 clinical trial conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health. The candidate vaccine, which was co-developed by the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and GlaxoSmithKline, was tested at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

27 Nov 2014

BWH researchers identify two-faced role of TIM-3 protein

A Brigham and Women's Hospital-led team has identified a long sought-after partner for a key immune protein, called TIM-3, that helps explain its two-faced role in the immune system -- sometimes dampening it, other times stimulating it. This newly identified partner not only sheds light on the inner workings of the immune system in diseases such as HIV, autoimmunity, and cancer, but also provides a critical path toward the development of novel treatments that target TIM-3.

26 Nov 2014

New hybrid vehicle to improve delivery of DNA vaccines is under development

Described recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the technology is a biomedical advancement that could help unleash the potential of DNA vaccines, which despite two decades of research, have yet to make a significant impact in the treatment of major illnesses.

26 Nov 2014

Dry powdered measles vaccine triggers no adverse side effects in early human testing

A measles vaccine made of fine dry powder and delivered with a puff of air triggered no adverse side effects in early human testing and it is likely effective, according to a paper to be published November 28 in the journal Vaccine.

26 Nov 2014

Decrease in prevalence of VRSA infections in southeastern Michigan

A new study finds a decrease in an emergent strain of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) that is resistant to last line defense antibiotics. Researchers examined the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) infections in southeastern Michigan, where the majority of these infections have occurred in the U.S.

26 Nov 2014

Study: Using wash cloths treated with skin cleanser could reduce skin infections in U.S. jails

New research shows providing detainees wash cloths treated with a skin cleanser could reduce the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria in U.S. jails. Researchers looked at the effect on transmission of S. aureus of using wash cloths treated with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) compared with wash cloths with only plain water in detainees at Dallas County Jail.

25 Nov 2014

Jhpiego, SAGO partner to expand Ebola preparedness training across West Africa

Jhpiego is partnering with the Society of African Gynecologists and Obstetricians to expand and reinforce Ebola preparedness training for frontline health workers across West Africa in the event the virus outbreak spreads further in the region.

25 Nov 2014

South Africa's response to Ebola outbreak

Brand South Africa and the Department of Communications yesterday convened a high level discussion with stakeholders on how the country is responding to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

25 Nov 2014

New Mayo Clinic study shows impact of long-term use of proton pump inhibitors

Before reaching for that daily antacid, you might consider what it's doing to the trillions of bugs living in your gut. A new Mayo Clinic study in the open access journal Microbiome shows that people who regularly take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have less diversity among their gut bacteria, putting them at increased risk for infections like clostridium difficile and pneumonia, in addition to vitamin deficiencies and bone fractures.

25 Nov 2014

Study finds that starting ART treatment soon after HIV infection improves immune health

HIV-1-infected U.S. military members and beneficiaries treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) soon after infection were half as likely to develop AIDS and were more likely to reconstitute their immune-fighting CD4+ T-cells to normal levels, researchers reported Nov. 24 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

25 Nov 2014

Provider-centered multi-component PI CME intervention improves HPV vaccination rates

Changing the way doctors practice medicine is difficult, however a new study has shown that combining traditional education with quality improvement and incentives improves Human Papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination rates in boys and girls. The study, which appears on-line in the journal Vaccine, has the potential to produce sustained improvements in these vaccination rates.

25 Nov 2014

Gates Foundation provides $2 million grant to help fight major parasitic diseases

Almost $2 million is being invested by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help fight major parasitic diseases of the developing world.

25 Nov 2014

Johns Hopkins researchers develop online tool to speed up creation of new drugs to prevent Ebola virus

Johns Hopkins biomedical engineers have developed a free, browser-based online tool that could speed up the creation of new drugs to treat or prevent Ebola virus infections.

24 Nov 2014

Researchers take major step in fight against sleeping sickness

Researchers from Aarhus University have taken an important step in the fight against sleeping sickness, a disease that is a major problem in parts of Africa. According to the World Health Organization, the disease threatens approximately 60 million people and the treatment options are poor.

24 Nov 2014

Bayer's Amikacin Inhale and Ciprofloxacin DPI receive QIDP designation from FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted qualified infectious disease product (QIDP) designation to two Bayer investigational agents, Amikacin Inhale and Ciprofloxacin Dry Powder for Inhalation (DPI).

24 Nov 2014

Merck, NewLink Genetics sign exclusive worldwide license agreement for Ebola vaccine candidate

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and NewLink Genetics Corporation, announced today that they have entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement to research, develop, manufacture, and distribute NewLink's investigational rVSV-EBOV (Ebola) vaccine candidate.

24 Nov 2014

Unique ability helps prolific bacterium to afflict humans, animals and even plants

New research has found that one of the world's most prolific bacteria manages to afflict humans, animals and even plants by way of a mechanism not before seen in any infectious microorganism -- a sense of touch. This unique ability helps make the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa ubiquitous, but it also might leave these antibiotic-resistant organisms vulnerable to a new form of treatment.

23 Nov 2014

University of Vermont Medical Center recognized with 2014 Partnership in Prevention Award

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America today recognized the University of Vermont Medical Center with the 2014 Partnership in Prevention Award for achieving sustainable improvements toward eliminating healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

23 Nov 2014

Disease/Infection News

Ebola vaccine shows promising results in human trial

Therapeutic nanoparticle safe, effective against H. pylori infection, shows study

Experimental Ebola vaccine appears safe, produces immune system responses in NIH phase 1 trial

BWH researchers identify two-faced role of TIM-3 protein

New hybrid vehicle to improve delivery of DNA vaccines is under development

Dry powdered measles vaccine triggers no adverse side effects in early human testing

Decrease in prevalence of VRSA infections in southeastern Michigan

Study: Using wash cloths treated with skin cleanser could reduce skin infections in U.S. jails

Jhpiego, SAGO partner to expand Ebola preparedness training across West Africa

South Africa's response to Ebola outbreak

New Mayo Clinic study shows impact of long-term use of proton pump inhibitors

Study finds that starting ART treatment soon after HIV infection improves immune health

Provider-centered multi-component PI CME intervention improves HPV vaccination rates

Gates Foundation provides $2 million grant to help fight major parasitic diseases

Johns Hopkins researchers develop online tool to speed up creation of new drugs to prevent Ebola virus

Researchers take major step in fight against sleeping sickness

Bayer's Amikacin Inhale and Ciprofloxacin DPI receive QIDP designation from FDA

Merck, NewLink Genetics sign exclusive worldwide license agreement for Ebola vaccine candidate

Unique ability helps prolific bacterium to afflict humans, animals and even plants

University of Vermont Medical Center recognized with 2014 Partnership in Prevention Award

How GLP‑1 Agonists Are Shaping the Future of Obesity Treatment With Dr Bryony Henderson

Flow chemistry, AI, and NMR: A next-gen approach to scalable API production

Digital pathology and the PathoVerse: A conversation with Dr. Singh

Latest News