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Novartis delivers 100 million child-friendly antimalarial treatments to 39 countries

One hundred million treatments of Coartem- Dispersible (artemether-lumefantrine), an antimalarial developed especially for children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria, have been delivered by Novartis to 39 malaria-endemic countries, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) announced today.

23 Feb 2012

Candida albicans can sense immune status of host cells and evade them

Glen Palmer, PhD, Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, was part of an international research team led by Luigina Romani, MD, at the University of Perugia, that discovered opportunistic fungi like Candida albicans can sense the immune status of host cells and adapt, evading immune system defenses.

23 Feb 2012

International Microbicides Conference to take place from April 15-18

The biennial International Microbicides Conference is the premier gathering for those working on new approaches to HIV prevention and this year's conference in Sydney, Australia will place a strong emphasis on the role of community in both research and implementation of scientific findings. The conference will take place from April 15-18 at the Sydney Exhibition and Conference Centre located on the Darling Harbour waterfront.

23 Feb 2012

First-ever comparative analysis of antimalarial medicines at every step of the parasite's life cycle

MMV and partners have completed the first-ever comparative analysis of all currently available and in-development antimalarials in terms of the steps they target in the parasite's lifecycle. This information provides the missing pieces of the puzzle needed to develop future medicines able to block transmission of the parasite from person to person.

23 Feb 2012

IDRI launches LEISH-F3 + GLA-SE Phase 1 trial for kala-azar

The first clinical trial of a new vaccine for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has been launched by the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), a Seattle-based nonprofit that develops products to prevent, detect, and treat diseases of poverty. The Phase 1 trial is taking place in Washington State, with a companion Phase 1 trial planned in India, an epicenter of the disease.

23 Feb 2012

Routine hepatitis C testing of the middle aged could save thousands of lives: CDC report

Increasing number of people are dying of damaged livers due to hepatitis C infection. Federal health officials are considering whether anyone born between 1945 and 1965 should get a one-time blood test to check if they are harboring the dangerous virus. Two-thirds of people with hepatitis C are in this age group, most unaware that a virus that takes a few decades to do its damage has festered since their younger days.

22 Feb 2012

India still faces challenges in efforts to eradicate polio

The PBS NewsHour examines polio eradication efforts in India, which has gone an entire year without reporting a polio case. "For India, the challenge is to remain vigilant and polio free for two more years to officially fall off the list of endemic countries," according to the news service.

22 Feb 2012

March issue of BMJ's 'Sexually Transmitted Infections' focuses on HIV, health systems

Karen Grepin, assistant professor of global health policy at New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, describes the March issue of BMJ's Sexually Transmitted Infections in this post in her "Global Health Blog."

22 Feb 2012

PBS NewsHour blog discusses curable, preventable neglected tropical diseases with CDC experts

In this video report, PBS NewsHour's "The Rundown" examines curable and preventable diseases such as measles and river blindness that countries are focusing more effort on fighting. Mark Eberhardt, a neglected tropical diseases expert at the CDC, and Stephen Cochi, a measles and polio expert from the CDC, "describe the diseases and why they still need attention."

22 Feb 2012

IRIN examines whether poverty reduction schemes can help lower TB rate in developing countries

IRIN examines "whether a new generation of social protection schemes, aimed at reducing poverty and often using cash transfers to the poorest, can be harnessed to bring down the rate of tuberculosis (TB) in developing countries."

22 Feb 2012

Russian government's censorship of websites with harm reduction methods for drug users helps fuel HIV epidemic, IPS reports

"A recent government crackdown on Russian media, particularly online information portals specializing in health tips and harm reduction methods for drug users, has sparked widespread public opposition, with critics claiming that the 'draconian silencing' of public health advocates could worsen an already perilous health situation in the country," Inter Press Service reports.

22 Feb 2012

WHO meeting decides to extend moratorium on bird flu research, delay full publication of two studies detailing lab-modified strains

A group of 22 public health and influenza experts reached a consensus on Friday at a WHO-convened meeting regarding the work of two research teams that created genetically altered strains of the H5N1 bird flu virus that are easily transmissible among ferrets, a laboratory model for humans, a WHO press release reports.

22 Feb 2012

Study: MRSA jumps from food animals to humans

A strain of the potentially deadly antibiotic-resistant bacterium known as MRSA has jumped from food animals to humans, according to a new study involving two Northern Arizona University researchers.

22 Feb 2012

Researchers study specially bred mice to understand annual flu epidemics

As part of a national collaboration, Oregon Health & Science University researchers are studying specially bred mice that are more like humans than ever before when it comes to genetic variation. Through these mice, the researchers hope to better understand and treat an infectious disease that plagues us year in and year out: the flu.

22 Feb 2012

Promising antibiotic alternative to fight bacteria that causes strep throat

Researchers have discovered a promising alternative to common antibiotics used to fight the bacteria that causes strep throat. In an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists discussed how their discovery could fight the infection with a reduced risk of antibiotic resistance.

22 Feb 2012

EMA grants positive scientific opinion for Pyramax to treat malaria

Pyramax-, a fixed-dose combination of pyronaridine and artesunate, becomes the first antimalarial to be granted a positive scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) under Article 58. This once daily, 3-day treatment is indicated for acute, uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum and blood-stage Plasmodium vivax malaria in adults and children over 20 kg.

22 Feb 2012

PNAS selects six papers to receive 2011 Cozzarelli Prize

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) Editorial Board has selected six papers published by PNAS in 2011 to receive the Cozzarelli Prize, an award that recognizes outstanding contributions to the scientific disciplines represented by the National Academy of Sciences.

22 Feb 2012

Immunization against flu during pregnancy can influence fetal growth

Vaccinating pregnant women against the influenza virus appears to have a significant positive effect on birth weight in babies, according to a study published in CMAJ.

22 Feb 2012

CDRD, NGDI-UBC collaborate to combine existing approved drugs to better treat TB

One year after The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) and the Neglected Global Diseases Initiative at the University of British Columbia (NGDI-UBC) came together to develop interventions for neglected global diseases, a project to combine existing approved drugs to better treat Tuberculosis (TB) has emerged as the collaboration's leading prospect.

21 Feb 2012

New triple-therapies found cost-effective for chronic hepatitis C patients with advanced liver disease

A towering $60,000 bill, a year of fierce, flu-like symptoms and a running risk of depression are among the possible costs of two new hepatitis C treatments. But according to Stanford University health policy researchers, they might be worth it.

21 Feb 2012

Disease/Infection News

Novartis delivers 100 million child-friendly antimalarial treatments to 39 countries

Candida albicans can sense immune status of host cells and evade them

International Microbicides Conference to take place from April 15-18

First-ever comparative analysis of antimalarial medicines at every step of the parasite's life cycle

IDRI launches LEISH-F3 + GLA-SE Phase 1 trial for kala-azar

Routine hepatitis C testing of the middle aged could save thousands of lives: CDC report

India still faces challenges in efforts to eradicate polio

March issue of BMJ's 'Sexually Transmitted Infections' focuses on HIV, health systems

PBS NewsHour blog discusses curable, preventable neglected tropical diseases with CDC experts

IRIN examines whether poverty reduction schemes can help lower TB rate in developing countries

Russian government's censorship of websites with harm reduction methods for drug users helps fuel HIV epidemic, IPS reports

WHO meeting decides to extend moratorium on bird flu research, delay full publication of two studies detailing lab-modified strains

Study: MRSA jumps from food animals to humans

Researchers study specially bred mice to understand annual flu epidemics

Promising antibiotic alternative to fight bacteria that causes strep throat

EMA grants positive scientific opinion for Pyramax to treat malaria

PNAS selects six papers to receive 2011 Cozzarelli Prize

Immunization against flu during pregnancy can influence fetal growth

CDRD, NGDI-UBC collaborate to combine existing approved drugs to better treat TB

New triple-therapies found cost-effective for chronic hepatitis C patients with advanced liver disease

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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