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African giant pouched rat may be more effective than humans at detecting TB

The Wall Street Journal examines the use of the African giant pouched rat to detect tuberculosis (TB) in lab samples. A study published online in the Pan African Medical Journal last month found the rats are "better than human lab techs at identifying TB bacteria in a dollop of mucus," a finding that "holds promise for diagnosing tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa," according to the newspaper.

7 Sep 2011

Ohio man dies from tooth infection after he couldn't afford medicine

A 24-year-old Cincinnati father died from a tooth infection this week because he couldn't afford his medication, offering a sobering reminder of the importance of oral health and the number of people without access to dental or health care. According to NBC affiliate WLWT, Kyle Willis' wisdom tooth started hurting two weeks ago. When dentists told him it needed to be pulled, he decided to forgo the procedure, because he was unemployed and had no health insurance.

7 Sep 2011

Continued funding from all countries needed to fight HIV/AIDS

"There is no doubt that" a 10 percent reduction in funding from donor governments for the AIDS response in low- and middle-income countries in 2010 from the previous year's levels "is linked to economic strain felt by countries across the globe," a VOA News editorial says.

7 Sep 2011

'No evidence' mutant bird flu virus poses increased risk to humans, WHO and FAO say

After the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) "last week voiced concern about the appearance in Vietnam and China of" a mutant strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus, the WHO and FAO on Monday "said in a joint statement issued in response to questions from Agence France-Presse" that "there is no evidence to suggest yet that this new virus strain will have any increased risk to human health," the news agency reports.

7 Sep 2011

DOJ investigates Miss. mental health care; N.H. pharmacists win permission to vaccinate

The Justice Department is now investigating Mississippi's mental health system, seeking to determine whether those suffering from mental illness are receiving appropriate treatment. Justice Department officials are expected to return to the Magnolia State later this month, and it's a safe bet they will make similar recommendations against Mississippi as they have against Virginia and other states, said Region 8 Executive Director Dave Van.

7 Sep 2011

U.N. declares famine in sixth region of Somalia, expresses concern over spread of disease

The U.N. "announced Monday that Somalia's famine had spread to a sixth area within the country, with officials warning that 750,000 people could die in the next few months unless aid efforts were scaled up," the New York Times reports.

7 Sep 2011

Impact of colds and flu on school absenteeism, workplace and economy

Queen's University medical researchers today released some key findings from the first study of its kind done in Canada on the impact of colds and flu on school absenteeism, the workplace, and the economy.

7 Sep 2011

GSK receives HHS' BARDA contract to support development of Gram-negative antibiotic, GSK2251052

Anacor Pharmaceuticals announced today that its partner, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), has been awarded a contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support the ongoing development of GSK2251052 (GSK '052, formerly AN3665), a novel boron-based Gram-negative systemic antibiotic discovered by Anacor.

7 Sep 2011

International public health spending ignores neglected tropical diseases, some experts argue

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism examines what some experts are calling a serious inequity in public health spending, writing that neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) "together kill more people than maternal mortality and have a higher disease burden than malaria or tuberculosis (TB) and nearing that of HIV/AIDS. However, despite the severity of the situation, funding for NTDs is just a fraction of that spent on other diseases."

7 Sep 2011

More than 2M people in Pakistani province of Sindh affected by flooding from monsoon rains

"Pakistan's southern province of Sindh is facing disaster once more with heavy rains over the past five days, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA)," with at least 85 people reported dead and more than two million people affected, IRIN reports.

7 Sep 2011

March of Dimes urges all pregnant women to get influenza immunization

Getting a flu shot during pregnancy protects the mom-to-be from what could be a very serious – even fatal – illness and can protect her newborn who is too young to receive his or her own immunization.

7 Sep 2011

Number of malaria cases in Brazilian Amazon drop 31% in first half of year compared with 2010

Brazil's health ministry on Monday said 115,708 malaria cases had been reported in the first half of this year in the Brazilian Amazon, down 31 percent compared with the same period in 2010, the Latin American Herald Tribune reports.

7 Sep 2011

Genetically modified M. smegmatis vaccine shows promise against TB

An experimental vaccine composed of a genetically modified bacterium closely related to the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB) has been found to protect mice against TB infection, according to a study appearing online September 4 in the journal Nature Medicine.

7 Sep 2011

Superbug structure deciphered

NDM-1, the enzyme responsible for antibiotic-resistant "superbugs," has had its structure deciphered by British scientists. NDM-1 (New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1) emerged in India three years ago. It has the ability to break up, or hydrolyze, even carbapenems, the strongest class of antibiotics, making them ineffective, and has been found in a wide variety of pathogens. Antibiotic resistance is on the rise. More than 25,000 people in the European Union die every year from bacterial infections.

6 Sep 2011

Tick-borne disease in US blood supply

A tick-borne infection known as Babesiosis, which can cause severe disease and even death, is becoming a growing threat to the U.S. blood supply, government researchers said on Monday.

6 Sep 2011

NanoViricides selects NV-INF-1 anti-influenza drug for FDA submission

NanoViricides, Inc. announced today that it has selected a clinical candidate, now designated NV-INF-1, for FDA submission in its highly successful FluCide anti-influenza therapeutics program.

6 Sep 2011

Pharmasset reports SVR results from PSI-7977 phase 2b combination study on HCV genotype 1

Pharmasset, Inc., announced today sustained virologic response (SVR) results from its phase 2b PROTON study with PSI-7977 400 mg dosed once daily in combination with peginterferon alfa 2a and ribavirin (Peg-IFN/RBV) in subjects with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 who have not been treated previously. 43 out of 44 (98%) evaluable subjects achieved an SVR12, defined as HCV RNA below the limit of detection (<15 IU/mL) 12 weeks after the completion of treatment.

6 Sep 2011

Disease/Infection News

African giant pouched rat may be more effective than humans at detecting TB

Ohio man dies from tooth infection after he couldn't afford medicine

Continued funding from all countries needed to fight HIV/AIDS

'No evidence' mutant bird flu virus poses increased risk to humans, WHO and FAO say

DOJ investigates Miss. mental health care; N.H. pharmacists win permission to vaccinate

U.N. declares famine in sixth region of Somalia, expresses concern over spread of disease

Impact of colds and flu on school absenteeism, workplace and economy

GSK receives HHS' BARDA contract to support development of Gram-negative antibiotic, GSK2251052

International public health spending ignores neglected tropical diseases, some experts argue

More than 2M people in Pakistani province of Sindh affected by flooding from monsoon rains

March of Dimes urges all pregnant women to get influenza immunization

Number of malaria cases in Brazilian Amazon drop 31% in first half of year compared with 2010

Genetically modified M. smegmatis vaccine shows promise against TB

Superbug structure deciphered

Tick-borne disease in US blood supply

NanoViricides selects NV-INF-1 anti-influenza drug for FDA submission

Pharmasset reports SVR results from PSI-7977 phase 2b combination study on HCV genotype 1

Biologists identify mechanism of H. pylori that damages DNA of gastric mucosal cells

Three cases of novel influenza A virus now linked to agricultural fair in southwestern Pennsylvania

Researchers discover how yeast cells identify, attach to human tissue and cause infection

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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