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Gene-transfer system may control mosquito-borne diseases without pesticides

Scientists have modeled a system that may be used to control mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit, without the use of pesticides. In the proposed system, mosquitoes are engineered to carry two genes. The first gene causes males to transmit a toxin to females through their semen. The second gene, when expressed in females, makes them immune to this toxin.

14 Feb 2011

New York Times examines factors contributing to presence of 'exotic' infectious diseases in New York City

"When New York City's health department revealed last weekend that three people had contracted cholera, it was a reminder that the city is not just a world capital of arts, business and the like - but also of exotic diseases," the New York Times writes in an article that explores how diseases from around the world often make their way to the city through its diverse population of travelers.

14 Feb 2011

HIV infection in mothers reduces disease resistance in babies: Study

New research suggests that babies whose mothers have HIV, but are not HIV-infected themselves, are born with lower levels of specific proteins in their blood called antibodies, which fight infection, compared with babies not exposed to HIV.

13 Feb 2011

HIV trials and tribulations

A report published online February 8 in PLoS Medicine shows that mass behaviour changes could be credited with helping to remarkably reduce the number of people infected with HIV in Zimbabwe in recent years. These changes include declines in extramarital, commercial, and casual sexual relations, as well as a decline in multiple partners. These have been triggered by increased awareness of AIDS deaths and fear of infection and to some extent by the country’s economic deterioration.

13 Feb 2011

More people sick with salmonella from custard pastries

According to South Australia Health authorities, 13 more people have fallen ill with salmonella that spread via three types of custard-filled pastries made in Adelaide. This brings the total number of ill people to 74 with 29 admitted to hospital with salmonella typhimurium phage type 9 infection. The custard-filled products from Vili’s and St George Cakes and Gelati were recalled after being associated with the salmonella outbreak.

13 Feb 2011

Silver treated IV connectors may cause potentially deadly infections

Nationally-acclaimed researcher and award-winning author Dr. Cynthia C. Chernecky warned in a speech at the 11th National Conference on Cancer Nursing Research that silver treated IV connectors could actually cause potentially deadly infections they were supposed to prevent.

11 Feb 2011

AHRQ: $25.3 billion spent for kidney disease treatment every year

Overall, an average of 3.7 million adults in the United States were treated for kidney disease each year between 2003 and 2007, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Kidney disease can lead to renal failure and may be caused by diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

11 Feb 2011

Protective immunity against HIV can be achieved without presence of virus neutralizing antibodies in the blood

New research shows that protective immunity against HIV can be achieved without the presence of virus neutralizing antibodies in the blood. The study, published by Cell Press in the February issue of the journal Immunity, demonstrates that a vaccine which stimulates production of specific anti-HIV antibodies in the vaginal tissue was sufficient to protect monkeys from exposure to live virus.

11 Feb 2011

Vaccinating through salivary glands may provide protection against wide range of diseases

If you don't like shots or needles, you're in luck. New research published online in The FASEB Journal gives the development of new oral vaccinations a shot in the arm thanks to discoveries involving the salivary glands of mice. In addition, this research report also offers a tantalizing glimpse of vaccines that could prevent infection at mucosal surfaces, even if direct injections into the body fail to cause immunity. This technique may be effective for a wide range of diseases from influenza to cholera.

11 Feb 2011

FDA grants Inhibitex Fast Track Designation for INX-189 in treatment of chronic hepatitis C viral infection

Inhibitex, Inc. today reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has designated the investigation of INX-08189, a potent guanosine nucleotide polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C viral infection, as a Fast Track development program.

11 Feb 2011

Study reveals beneficial anti-fibrotic effects of Pentraxin-2 in TGFβ1-induced lung disease

Promedior, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company developing novel therapies to treat fibrotic and inflammatory diseases, announced today the publication of collaborative research in the International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology entitled, "TGF-beta driven lung fibrosis is macrophage dependent and blocked by Serum amyloid P."

11 Feb 2011

RF-induced heat therapy could help treat common parasitic skin infection

Scientists are hoping that heat therapy could eventually replace a complex drug regimen as the first-line treatment of a parasitic skin infection common in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

11 Feb 2011

Anacor, Medicis collaborate to discover and develop boron-based treatment for acne

Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation today announced that the two companies have entered into a research and development agreement to discover and develop boron-based small molecule compounds directed against a target for the potential treatment of acne.

11 Feb 2011

Richard J. Fasenmyer Foundation awards $3M to Cleveland physicians for AIDS research

A three-year, $3 million gift from the Richard J. Fasenmyer Foundation will fund research by a pair of Cleveland physicians into HIV and the body's response in autoimmune diseases.

11 Feb 2011

Rapid GBS test useful adjunct to third trimester culture for accurate GBS detection at time of labor

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's (SMFM) annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting -, in San Francisco, researchers will present findings that show that many women are having different test results for Group B streptococcus (GBS) between their routine third trimester screening and a rapid test performed at the time of labor.

11 Feb 2011

Viral infection of Leishmania leads to increased pathogenicity

A parasite and a virus may be teaming up in a way that increases the parasite's ability to harm humans, scientists at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report this week in Science.

11 Feb 2011

Study finds too low drug concentrations used for treatment of children with TB

The realization of medically treating different children uniquely may start with one of the deadliest diseases in existence: tuberculosis.

11 Feb 2011

£160,000 award to devise anti-microbial collar to prevent bacterial infections associated with broken bones

Orthopaedic experts at The University of Nottingham are hoping to reduce the rate of infections that often occur in the pinning of broken bones by developing a special collar to counter dangerous microbes.

11 Feb 2011

Times of India examines dengue vaccine trials

India could soon become a site for clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of a dengue vaccine, the Times of India reports. According to the drug controller general of India, vaccine maker Sanofi Pasteur recently submitted a proposal to test the vaccine to the country.

11 Feb 2011

Medivir initiates phase 1a clinical trial of TMC649128 for chronic HCV infection

Medivir AB, the emerging research-based specialty pharmaceutical company focused on infectious diseases, today announces the start of a phase 1a clinical trial with TMC649128 intended for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

10 Feb 2011

Disease/Infection News

Gene-transfer system may control mosquito-borne diseases without pesticides

New York Times examines factors contributing to presence of 'exotic' infectious diseases in New York City

HIV infection in mothers reduces disease resistance in babies: Study

HIV trials and tribulations

More people sick with salmonella from custard pastries

Silver treated IV connectors may cause potentially deadly infections

AHRQ: $25.3 billion spent for kidney disease treatment every year

Protective immunity against HIV can be achieved without presence of virus neutralizing antibodies in the blood

Vaccinating through salivary glands may provide protection against wide range of diseases

FDA grants Inhibitex Fast Track Designation for INX-189 in treatment of chronic hepatitis C viral infection

Study reveals beneficial anti-fibrotic effects of Pentraxin-2 in TGFβ1-induced lung disease

RF-induced heat therapy could help treat common parasitic skin infection

Anacor, Medicis collaborate to discover and develop boron-based treatment for acne

Richard J. Fasenmyer Foundation awards $3M to Cleveland physicians for AIDS research

Rapid GBS test useful adjunct to third trimester culture for accurate GBS detection at time of labor

Viral infection of Leishmania leads to increased pathogenicity

Study finds too low drug concentrations used for treatment of children with TB

£160,000 award to devise anti-microbial collar to prevent bacterial infections associated with broken bones

Times of India examines dengue vaccine trials

Medivir initiates phase 1a clinical trial of TMC649128 for chronic HCV infection

Unlocking drug amorphization: Continuous, solvent-free twin screw granulation

How can super-resolution technology help study neurotransmission?

The Proteoform Puzzle: Unlocking the Next Frontier

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