Disease/Infection News

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Durata attains global rights for dalbavancin to treat abSSSI

Durata Therapeutics today announced the Company has attained worldwide rights for the development and commercialization of Durata's lead product, dalbavancin, a long-acting, intravenous (IV) lipoglycopeptide for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (abSSSI). In December 2010, Durata acquired from RaQualia Pharma commercialization rights for dalbavancin in Japan.

26 Apr 2011

FDA grants Cepheid marketing clearance for Xpert Flu diagnostic test

Cepheid today announced it has received clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to market Xpert® Flu. The diagnostic test, which runs on Cepheid's GeneXpert® System, simultaneously detects and differentiates Influenza A, Influenza B, and the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus in about one hour.

26 Apr 2011

PolyMedix defensin-mimetic antibiotic compounds show antimicrobial efficacy against anthrax

PolyMedix, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing new therapeutic drugs to treat patients with acute infectious diseases and cardiovascular disorders, announced today that several of its defensin-mimetic antibiotic compounds have shown antimicrobial efficacy in an animal model against the bacteria that causes anthrax.

26 Apr 2011

Merck receives Health Canada approval for GARDASIL to treat HPV in women upto age 45

Today, Merck announced that Health Canada has extended the indication of GARDASIL in women up to the age of 45. Merck's HPV vaccine is now approved for girls and women nine through 45 years of age for the prevention of cervical cancer, vulvar and vaginal cancers, precancerous lesions and genital warts caused by the Human Papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16, 18. Previously, GARDASIL was approved in girls and women nine through 26.

26 Apr 2011

AU health ministers highlight concerns over climate change's impact on health at CAMH5

African health ministers last week discussed their concerns about the health implications of climate change during the fifth African Union Conference of Ministers of Health in Windhoek, Namibia, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports. The conference, which focused on climate change, ended on Friday.

26 Apr 2011

WHO Africa regional director issues message for World Malaria Day

In a message marking Monday's World Malaria Day, Luis Gomes Sambo, WHO's regional director for Africa, noted that this year signifies the end of the U.N. decade to roll back malaria and "offers an opportunity for renewed commitment" to fight the disease, the Angola Press reports.

26 Apr 2011

U.S. President's Malaria Initiative releases fifth annual report

Each year, World Malaria Day is observed to call attention to the disease and to mobilize action to combat it. On this occasion, the President's Malaria Initiative, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, releases its fifth annual report, which describes the role and contributions of the U.S. Government in the effort to reduce the burden of malaria in Africa.

26 Apr 2011

World Malaria Day opinion pieces

Andrew Mitchell, Britain's secretary of state for international development, discusses the U.K.'s approach to combating malaria around the world in a post on the Guardian's "Poverty Matters Blog."

26 Apr 2011

African-American couples with HIV can benefit from health promotion interventions

Interventions to promote healthy behaviors, including eating more fruits and vegetables, increasing physical activity, and participating in cancer screenings, as well as prevention of HIV/sexually transmitted diseases, appear beneficial for African-American couples who are at high risk for chronic diseases, especially if one of the individuals is living with HIV.

26 Apr 2011

Study: More couple-based HIV counseling needed in South Africa

A new study of sexual risk behaviors within long-term couples in South Africa finds that HIV-positive people take almost as much risk in their sexual behavior when they know their partner is HIV-negative or don't know their status, as when they know their partner is already infected.

26 Apr 2011

NetGuarantee's inaugural transaction to help save lives from malaria

NetGuarantee, a new innovative finance facility, announces its first transaction with Zurich in North America, part of the Zurich Financial Services Group, to celebrate World Malaria Day today, April 25.

26 Apr 2011

Scientists identify key enzyme that destroys lung tissue in TB

Scientists have identified a key enzyme responsible for destroying lung tissue in tuberculosis, they report today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Drugs that inhibit this enzyme are already available, meaning that the finding could lead quickly to new treatments.

26 Apr 2011

Study: HIV infection linked to increased risk of heart failure

Patients with HIV infection without a prior history of coronary heart disease may be at a higher risk of developing heart failure, according to a report in the April 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

26 Apr 2011

Study questions suitability of anti-retroviral drugs for the young

According to a new major study one in eight children born with HIV becomes resistant to the three main classes of drugs used to suppress the virus within five years of starting treatment. This is the first major study that looks at drug resistance in 1,000 European children born with HIV. It raises questions about the suitability of anti-retroviral drugs for the young.

25 Apr 2011

Africa's football leaders earn UAM recognition for combating malaria

Today on World Malaria Day, the United Against Malaria campaign, under the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, recognized leaders from Africa's football and corporate spheres for their role in bringing malaria control messages to more than two billion 2010 World Cup spectators through public service announcements and media, and to 10 million employees through "Malaria Safe" corporate initiatives.

25 Apr 2011

Avian flu remains endemic in six countries, could take at least a decade to eradicate, FAO says

It will take at least 10 years to eradicate the H5N1 virus from poultry in the six countries where it is endemic, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said in a report released on Thursday, Agence France-Presse reports.

25 Apr 2011

Global health experts discuss legislative landscape of 112th Congress at Kaiser Family Foundation panel

U.S. global health programs did relatively well in terms of funding in the FY11 budget, but global health policy experts participating in a panel discussion on Wednesday at the Kaiser Family Foundation acknowledged that challenges remain as Congress begins debate on the FY12 budget.

25 Apr 2011

Ahead of Immunization Week, WHO calls for countries to come together to control measles outbreak in Europe

WHO is urging countries in Europe to join together to help control the measles outbreak that has grown to more than 6,500 cases in 33 countries and the potential for worsening outbreaks "in the days ahead as people travel during the Easter holidays," U.N. News Centre reports.

25 Apr 2011

Canadians join hands in fight against meningitis on April 24th

Canadians can join hands in a virtual community with the Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada and become a member of the global family by visiting www.comoonline.org and "joining hands" in the fight against meningitis, and to show support for meningitis awareness and prevention.

25 Apr 2011

Planned Parenthood offers free STI tests during Take Action Tour concert

To help reduce the alarming rate of sexually transmitted infections among young people, Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania will give away vouchers for free or low-cost HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea testing during Hopeless Records' Take Action Tour concert at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 23rd, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

25 Apr 2011