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New diagnostic test for drug-resistant TB allows 'new approach' to fight disease

The widespread incidence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) "calls for a new approach to TB in the developing world," a Bloomberg editorial states.

11 Jul 2012

Study investigates effect of SwabCap in catheter maintenance bundle

A disinfection cap used in IV therapy was the subject of an award-winning, multi-site study at a four-hospital, Chicago-area hospital system.

11 Jul 2012

Fatal outcome from HFMD is rare, says LUHS pediatric infectious disease specialist

A mysterious disease that has killed nearly 60 children in Cambodia has been identified by the World Health Organization as enterovirus 71. This virus is one among a family of viruses that cause a variety of illnesses, including a common childhood illness called hand, foot and mouth disease, but Andrew Bonwit, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Loyola University Health System, says a fatal outcome from such illness is rare.

11 Jul 2012

Study assesses risk of GBS following H1N1 vaccine administration

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is usually characterized by rapidly developing motor weakness and areflexia (the absence of reflexes). "The disease is thought to be autoimmune and triggered by a stimulus of external origin. In 1976-1977, an unusually high rate of GBS was identified in the United States following the administration of inactivated 'swine' influenza A(H1N1) vaccines.

11 Jul 2012

Activists criticize President Obama for not confirming attendance at AIDS 2012 conference

"Activists are reigniting their attacks against President Obama's record on battling AIDS ahead of the International AIDS Conference in Washington later this month," The Hill's "Global Affairs" blog reports.

11 Jul 2012

July issue of Health Affairs examining PEPFAR impact to be discussed at briefing on Tuesday

The July 2012 issue of Health Affairs, published Monday, examines the impact of PEPFAR, focusing on "the origins of the program; the lessons learned from implementation; the successes achieved in terms of human health and well-being; and the opportunities that now exist to lay the groundwork for an 'AIDS-free generation,'" the Health Affairs Blog reports, noting, "The new Health Affairs issue will be discussed Tuesday morning at a Washington, D.C., briefing."

11 Jul 2012

TLR1 plays a critical role in protecting the body from food-borne illnesses

A naturally occurring protein called TLR1 plays a critical role in protecting the body from illnesses caused by eating undercooked pork or drinking contaminated water, according to new research from the University of Southern California (USC).

11 Jul 2012

DRCRF names 21 new Damon Runyon Fellows

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on supporting innovative early career researchers, named 21 new Damon Runyon Fellows at its spring Fellowship Award Committee review.

11 Jul 2012

Former UNAIDS executive director discusses progress in AIDS fight ahead of AIDS 2012 conference

The 2012 International AIDS Conference, which will take place in Washington, D.C., from July 22-27, "will highlight a sense of optimism among top HIV researchers about stemming the spread of the virus around the globe," according to PRI's "The World."

11 Jul 2012

African leaders should 'take action' to implement human-rights based laws, policies to enhance HIV response

Noting the release of a report from the Global Commission on HIV and the Law showing that "punitive laws are standing in the way of effective AIDS responses," Festus Mogae, former president of Botswana, and Stephen Lewis, co-director and co-founder of AIDS-Free World, both members of the commission, write in a health-e opinion piece, "We cannot hope for an HIV-free generation when we have laws that marginalize and punish those most vulnerable to the disease."

11 Jul 2012

Scientists identify novel strategy to target Taspase1 enzyme

Scientists at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany identified a novel strategy to target the oncologically relevant protein-cleaving enzyme Taspase1.

10 Jul 2012

FDA acknowledges receipt of resubmission of Human Genome Sciences’ raxibacumab BLA

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acknowledged receipt of the resubmission of the Biologics License Application (BLA) for raxibacumab, a treatment for inhalational anthrax, and has established December 15, 2012 as the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date.

10 Jul 2012

Laws based on evidence and human rights strengthen global AIDS response

Punitive laws and human rights abuses are costing lives, wasting money and stifling the global AIDS response, according to a report by the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, an independent body of global leaders and experts. The Commission report, "HIV and the Law: Risks, Rights and Health," finds evidence that governments in every region of the world have wasted the potential of legal systems in the fight against HIV.

10 Jul 2012

UCLA to examine whether copper surfaces result in reduced hospital infection rates

Hospital-acquired infections are a huge public health burden, and hospital environments play a key role in harboring potentially deadly bacteria such as E. coli, C. difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

10 Jul 2012

Financial Times examines integration of family planning, HIV services in Ethiopia

The Financial Times examines efforts by "Ethiopian policymakers, faced with a rapidly expanding population and rising numbers of HIV/AIDS infections," to integrate family planning into HIV counseling and testing programs in the country. "When counseling women on reproductive health or child immunization, family planning clinics can also discuss HIV testing and prevention, particularly condom use, as well as introducing pregnant women to mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention services," the newspaper notes.

10 Jul 2012

Office of Global Health Diplomacy represents move toward expanding GHI's impact

With the closure of the Global Health Initiative office and the establishment of the Office of Global Health Diplomacy within the State Department last week, "the Obama administration made some quiet changes ... that strengthen one of its most significant policy shifts: that global health and foreign assistance are critical components of diplomacy," Serra Sippel, president of the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE), writes in the Huffington Post's "Global Motherhood" blog.

10 Jul 2012

New monitoring approach could improve quality of HIV care for prisoners

A new monitoring approach developed by researchers from The Miriam Hospital could close a major gap by providing the ability to track whether HIV-positive prisoners are getting the community-based HIV care they need once they are released.

10 Jul 2012

Inovio commences SynCon vaccine phase I study in H1N1 influenza

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the first patients have been treated in a clinical trial evaluating immune responses in elderly adults immunized with Inovio's H1N1 SynCon universal influenza vaccine.

10 Jul 2012

Associated Press examines 'sense of optimism' in HIV fight as AIDS 2012 conference approaches

Noting more than 20,000 international HIV researchers and activists will gather in Washington, D.C., for the AIDS 2012 conference later this month, the Associated Press writes that there is "a sense of optimism not seen in many years -- hope that it finally may be possible to dramatically stem the spread of the AIDS virus."

10 Jul 2012

Researchers develop new silk-based stabilizer for vaccines and antibiotics

Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have developed a new silk-based stabilizer that, in the laboratory, kept some vaccines and antibiotics stable up to temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

10 Jul 2012

Disease/Infection News

New diagnostic test for drug-resistant TB allows 'new approach' to fight disease

Study investigates effect of SwabCap in catheter maintenance bundle

Fatal outcome from HFMD is rare, says LUHS pediatric infectious disease specialist

Study assesses risk of GBS following H1N1 vaccine administration

Activists criticize President Obama for not confirming attendance at AIDS 2012 conference

July issue of Health Affairs examining PEPFAR impact to be discussed at briefing on Tuesday

TLR1 plays a critical role in protecting the body from food-borne illnesses

DRCRF names 21 new Damon Runyon Fellows

Former UNAIDS executive director discusses progress in AIDS fight ahead of AIDS 2012 conference

African leaders should 'take action' to implement human-rights based laws, policies to enhance HIV response

Scientists identify novel strategy to target Taspase1 enzyme

FDA acknowledges receipt of resubmission of Human Genome Sciences’ raxibacumab BLA

Laws based on evidence and human rights strengthen global AIDS response

UCLA to examine whether copper surfaces result in reduced hospital infection rates

Financial Times examines integration of family planning, HIV services in Ethiopia

Office of Global Health Diplomacy represents move toward expanding GHI's impact

New monitoring approach could improve quality of HIV care for prisoners

Inovio commences SynCon vaccine phase I study in H1N1 influenza

Associated Press examines 'sense of optimism' in HIV fight as AIDS 2012 conference approaches

Researchers develop new silk-based stabilizer for vaccines and antibiotics

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