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AADR acknowledges review that examines link between ASVD and periodontal disease

Today, the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) acknowledged the very comprehensive review of the literature undertaken by the American Heart Association (AHA) on the relationship between periodontal disease and heart disease.

21 Apr 2012

Kala-azar disease 'still raging' in remote areas of South Sudan, VOA reports

"In newly independent South Sudan, deadly kala-azar disease is still raging in some of the most remote areas lacking basic health services," VOA News reports.

21 Apr 2012

UNAIDS welcomes new WHO guidelines for HIV testing, counseling, ART for couples

UNAIDS on Thursday "called on all countries to implement new WHO guidelines that encourage couples to go together for HIV testing to ascertain their status" and recommend offering antiretroviral therapy (ART) to people living with HIV who have a partner without HIV, "even when they do not require it for their own health," the U.N. News Centre reports.

21 Apr 2012

To achieve AIDS-free generation, needs of youth living with HIV must be addressed in transition services

In this post in USAID's "IMPACTblog," Heather Bergmann of John Snow Inc., who is the technical officer for USAID's AIDSTAR-One project, reports on the need to include youth in transition services for adolescents living with HIV.

21 Apr 2012

Need to invest in new HIV prevention methods remains 'urgent,' International Microbicides Conference hears

"Although the research for new HIV prevention technologies has indeed made some progress, ... a formidable way lies ahead to find enough money to finish the research and to make 'from discovery to delivery' a reality for those in need of protecting themselves from HIV," CNS/Scoop.co.nz reports.

21 Apr 2012

New data from descriptive sub-analysis of patients with compensated liver cirrhosis

New data from a descriptive sub-analysis of patients with compensated liver cirrhosis show that up to 43 percent of genotype-1a (GT1a) and up to 71 percent of GT1b hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients achieved sustained viral response (SVR12). SVR12 has been highly correlated with SVR24, which is a recognized indicator of viral cure.

20 Apr 2012

Honduras becomes first LAC country to launch national plan to combat NTDs

"A major milestone was achieved on April 12, when Honduras became the first country in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region to officially launch an integrated national plan to combat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)," the the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases' "End the Neglect" blog reports.

20 Apr 2012

Researchers examine impact of user experience with topical vaginal gels against HIV

Are women willing to use a vaginal gel to protect themselves against HIV infection? Researchers at The Miriam Hospital say that is the million dollar question when it comes to developing products known as microbicides that can prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.

20 Apr 2012

Study determines importance of bacterial infections in cirrhosis

A South African study presented today determines the importance of bacterial infections, which commonly occur in cirrhosis and can alter the natural history of the condition, possibly leading to loss of liver function and decompensation. It is now recognised that many infections in cirrhotic patients result from bacterial translocation (BT) from the intestine.

20 Apr 2012

New data provides hope for HCV non-responders

New data from a number of clinical trials presented for the first time at the International Liver Congress- 2012 provides hope for previously difficult to treat hepatitis C (HCV) patient populations.

20 Apr 2012

New data shows consolidation of interferon-free revolution in HCV treatment

New data presented at the International Liver Congress 2012 shows consolidation of the interferon-free (IFN) revolution in HCV treatment. The much anticipated data from a number of clinical trials confirm that combinations of antivirals offer the hope of shorter, more effective treatment with fewer side effects.

20 Apr 2012

Blog examines potential effects of AIDS funding cuts, shortfalls

The Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog examines a memorandum from the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), distributed "to a targeted list of congressional leaders with jurisdiction over PEPFAR or the appropriations committees that fund it," "that makes the case for continued funding for the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program at least at fiscal year (FY) 2012 funding levels."

20 Apr 2012

Access to family planning services important for adolescent women

In a Huffington Post "Global Motherhood" opinion piece, UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin writes, "It warms my heart to see that safe motherhood and women's reproductive health are finally being recognized as important development issues," but "millions of women in developing countries still lack even the most basic care during pregnancy," leading to maternal death and injury and hundreds of millions of women lack access to family planning services, including modern contraceptives.

20 Apr 2012

Guardian blog examines potential impact of Global Fund reform on organization's future

In this post in her Global Health Blog, Guardian Health Editor Sarah Boseley examines the potential impact of reform within the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on the organization's future. She writes, "It's been only seven weeks since banker Gabriel Jaramillo took over as general manager of the fund, but it is already clear the worthy organization set up by Kofi Annan to channel money to treat and prevent diseases in poor countries is a leaner, meaner machine."

20 Apr 2012

Bristol-Myers Squibb announces results from daclatasvir plus asunaprevir Phase II HCV study

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today announced results from a Phase II study in which treatment with an all-oral, dual direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimen of daclatasvir, an investigational NS5A replication complex inhibitor, and asunaprevir, an investigational NS3 protease inhibitor, achieved undetectable viral load 24 weeks post-treatment (SVR24) in 77% (33/43) of difficult-to-treat genotype 1b hepatitis C (HCV) patients.

20 Apr 2012

WHO releases guidance on couples testing, counseling, including ART for discordant couples

The WHO on Wednesday released its new 54-page "Guidance on couples HIV testing and counselling, including antiretroviral therapy (ART) for treatment and prevention in serodiscordant couples: Recommendations for a public health approach," according to the Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog.

20 Apr 2012

NSABB calls for global guidelines for conducting, communicating research involving dangerous pathogens

NewScientist reports on the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity's (NSABB) recommendation that revised versions of two controversial studies on H5N1 avian flu be published in scientific journals, reversing its previous recommendation that the studies only be published if certain details were withheld. According to the news service, dissent among the board members over the issue has prompted the committee to "propose talks to draft global guidelines for doing and communicating work involving dangerous pathogens."

20 Apr 2012

U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator tells GlobalPost State Department reviewing nearly $1.5B in unused PEPFAR funding

Prompted by an inquiry from GlobalPost, U.S. officials have said the Obama administration called for a $550 million reduction -- an 11 percent cut -- for its global AIDS program in its FY 2013 budget request because the "government didn't need more money because there has been nearly $1.5 billion stuck in the pipeline for 18 months or more," GlobalPost reports.

20 Apr 2012

Entire HCV lifecycle can be recapitulated in murine cells

A US study presented today at The International Liver CongressTM 2012 demonstrates that the entire HCV lifecycle can be recapitulated in murine cells, implying that HCV permissive mouse models could soon be developed.

20 Apr 2012

Final results from MSD’s VICTRELIS plus PEGINTRON Phase III trial on HCV treatment-related anemia

MSD, known as Merck in the United States and Canada, announced final results from a Phase III, open-label study designed to compare the impact of two anaemia management strategies on sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection treated with VICTRELIS(boceprevir) in combination with PEGINTRON and ribavirin.

20 Apr 2012

Disease/Infection News

AADR acknowledges review that examines link between ASVD and periodontal disease

Kala-azar disease 'still raging' in remote areas of South Sudan, VOA reports

UNAIDS welcomes new WHO guidelines for HIV testing, counseling, ART for couples

To achieve AIDS-free generation, needs of youth living with HIV must be addressed in transition services

Need to invest in new HIV prevention methods remains 'urgent,' International Microbicides Conference hears

New data from descriptive sub-analysis of patients with compensated liver cirrhosis

Honduras becomes first LAC country to launch national plan to combat NTDs

Researchers examine impact of user experience with topical vaginal gels against HIV

Study determines importance of bacterial infections in cirrhosis

New data provides hope for HCV non-responders

New data shows consolidation of interferon-free revolution in HCV treatment

Blog examines potential effects of AIDS funding cuts, shortfalls

Access to family planning services important for adolescent women

Guardian blog examines potential impact of Global Fund reform on organization's future

Bristol-Myers Squibb announces results from daclatasvir plus asunaprevir Phase II HCV study

WHO releases guidance on couples testing, counseling, including ART for discordant couples

NSABB calls for global guidelines for conducting, communicating research involving dangerous pathogens

U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator tells GlobalPost State Department reviewing nearly $1.5B in unused PEPFAR funding

Entire HCV lifecycle can be recapitulated in murine cells

Final results from MSD’s VICTRELIS plus PEGINTRON Phase III trial on HCV treatment-related anemia

The Proteoform Puzzle: Unlocking the Next Frontier

Synthetic Biology and the Pursuit of Living Diagnostics

Modular, Scalable, Intelligent: How n6 Is Rethinking NGS Library Prep

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