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DNA gyrase B could rapidly eliminate TB, shorten treatment time

In research at SRI International, scientists evaluating new drug targets against tuberculosis (TB) recently validated the preclinical effectiveness of a target that could rapidly eliminate infections and potentially shorten treatment time. The new drug target is a protein called DNA gyrase B, found in bacteria that cause TB infections.

30 Nov 2011

Experts available to discuss on HIV/AIDS prevention at Penn Nursing

Experts in HIV/AIDS prevention at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing are available to talk with media for stories on World AIDS Day, which is on December 1.

30 Nov 2011

Medizone receives Canadian patent for AsepticSure hospital disinfection product

Medizone International, Inc. reports that the Canadian Patent Office has granted Canadian Patent No 2735739 for processes and systems relating to the platform technology of its revolutionary AsepticSure hospital disinfection product.

30 Nov 2011

Cases of two AIDS patients renew hope of AIDS cure for many scientists, New York Times reports

The New York Times profiles two AIDS patients whose cases "suggest to many scientists that curing AIDS may be achievable," according to the newspaper. "One man, the so-called Berlin patient, apparently has cleared his HIV infection, albeit by arduous bone marrow transplants," and the other, "a 50-year-old man in Trenton, N.J., underwent a far less difficult gene therapy procedure. While he was not cured, his body was able to briefly control the virus after he stopped taking the usual antiviral drugs, something that is highly unusual," the newspaper writes.

29 Nov 2011

Shots reduce risk of chicken pox

Infants below the age of one may be too young to get the chicken pox vaccine but far fewer of them got the itchy rash after the U.S. started routinely vaccinating older children in 1995, according to a new study.

29 Nov 2011

New trends in HIV/AIDS prevalence

According to a latest report released this Monday, Toronto has more HIV and AIDS cases than ever before, with an estimated one in 120 adults in the city now HIV-positive. In all of Ontario, the number of people living with HIV-AIDS grew by 31 per cent between 2003 and 2008 and that number continues to expand.

29 Nov 2011

Enrollment complete in Alnylam's ALN-RSV01 Phase IIb study for RSV infection

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that it has completed patient enrollment in its Phase IIb study with ALN-RSV01, an RNAi therapeutic for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.

29 Nov 2011

Washington must lead search for additional financing, more cost-effective strategies in fight against AIDS

This New York Times editorial responds to the latest UNAIDS report (.pdf), which it says "reveals substantial success by some measures and stagnation by others," writing, "The challenge, in tough times, that must be met is to find enough resources to capitalize on scientific breakthroughs and keep the campaign moving forward."

29 Nov 2011

Testing of vaginal gel for HIV prevention halted after interim results showed no difference from placebo

Researchers involved with a multi-armed clinical trial designed to evaluate different antiretroviral (ARV) interventions for HIV prevention on Friday announced the arm testing a vaginal gel had been stopped because it was not working, the New York Times reports.

29 Nov 2011

Despite limitations of global fund programs, dangers of cutting funding are worse

In this Financial Times opinion piece, journalist Andrew Jack examines how, "[a]fter a period of fast expansion, and strong progress in tackling AIDS, [tuberculosis (TB)] and malaria alike," the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria "has become a target in the era of austerity.

29 Nov 2011

Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala make progress against river blindness

Global health consultant Alanna Shaikh writes in this post on the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases' "End the Neglect" blog about the elimination of river blindness, or onchoceriasis, from Colombia and progress made against the disease in Mexico and Guatemala.

29 Nov 2011

Daily inhaled steroids comparable to use of intermittent steroid treatment for wheezing

Pediatricians often treat young children who have frequent bouts of wheezing with a daily dose of an inhaled steroid to keep asthma symptoms at bay. But results of a recent study are likely to change that.

29 Nov 2011

New database for scientists researching fission yeast

A new database promises to be an invaluable resource to scientists who use a unique single-celled fungus to study human diseases.

29 Nov 2011

Serotonin instructs scar forming cells to switch off regeneration in chronic liver disease

In liver disease, extent of tissue damage depends on the balance between the generation of scar tissue and the regeneration of new liver cells. In a significant minority of people who get injury to their organs instead of repairing them, they form scars.

29 Nov 2011

New compound circumvents drug-efflux pumps associated with Gram-positive bacteria

It's no wonder that medicine's effort to combat bacterial infections is often described as an arms race. When new drugs are developed to combat infections, the bacterial target invariably comes up with a deterrent.

29 Nov 2011

Remote video auditing leads to better hospital hand hygiene compliance

Nearly one out of every 20 hospitalized patients each year will develop a hospital-acquired infection (HAI). Of those infected, it is estimated that 100,000 will die. The cost to the healthcare system is approximately $45 billion and rising.

29 Nov 2011

New swine flu virus alarms health officials

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), three cases of a new flu virus have been confirmed. These originated in pigs but apparently spread from person to person, in three Iowa children.

28 Nov 2011

Tenofovir gel no more effective than placebo gel in preventing HIV

An independent review of the VOICE study, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and conducted by the Microbicide Trials Network, determined that tenofovir gel was no more effective than placebo gel in preventing HIV.

28 Nov 2011

Inviragen commences DENVax Phase 2 trial for dengue

Inviragen, Inc. today announced the initiation of a Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of DENVax, the Company's investigational dengue vaccine.

28 Nov 2011

Corkscrew structure inspires new weapon against E-coli and MRSA

Scientists at the University of Warwick have taken inspiration from corkscrew structures found in nature to develop a new weapon in the fight against infections like E-coli and MRSA.

28 Nov 2011