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New groundbreaking research advances understanding of HIV

It is estimated that 38 million people worldwide are currently infected with HIV and that 4.1 million more are added each year. For scientists to design treatment therapies that are effective over the long-term it is essential to learn more about how the virus mutates and develops resistance to medications.

13 Dec 2010

New DNA-based testing technology for tuberculosis treatment

The driving force behind the rapid tuberculosis test that received World Health Organization endorsement this week is Dr. David Alland, chief of the Division of Infectious Disease at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School.

13 Dec 2010

Scientists discover key molecular events in immune system that contribute to inflammatory bowel disease

Scientists at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech have discovered some of the key molecular events in the immune system that contribute to inflammatory bowel disease.

13 Dec 2010

Study finds Haitian cholera strain resembles one from South Asia, carries mutation that increases severity

"Detailed genetic tests confirm that the cholera strain that has killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti came from South Asia and most closely resembles a strain circulating in Bangladesh," according to a study published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Reuters reports (12/9).

13 Dec 2010

New study says boxers are at substantial risk for acute injuries to head, heart, and skeleton

Boxers are at substantial risk for acute injuries to the head, heart, and skeleton. Subacute consequences after being knocked out include persistent symptoms such as headaches, impaired hearing, nausea, unstable gait, and forgetfulness.

13 Dec 2010

Rate of health care-associated infections in developing countries more than double U.S., European rates, study finds

The rate of health care-associated infections in developing countries is more than three times the rate of cases in the U.S. and more than double the rate in Europe, according to a study published Friday in the Lancet, BBC reports (12/9).

13 Dec 2010

Argos' AGS-004 shows feasibility in in vitro models to generate DC from viremic patients

Argos Therapeutics announced today that its Arcelis HIV immunotherapy, AGS-004, showed feasibility in in vitro models to generate fully functional dendritic cells (DC) from viremic patients.

13 Dec 2010

Young gay men taking risks - raising HIV transmission

A new study on HIV transmission in Australia reveals an alarming culture shift in which younger gay men appear more willing to take sexual risks and so become infected with the virus earlier. When comparing older men who have sex with men (MSM) with those aged under 35, the younger ones were found to be more likely to have never previously been tested for HIV and more likely to report not knowing the HIV status of regular partners. These men commonly reported inconsistent condom use with casual and regular partners.

12 Dec 2010

In effort to curb preventable ICU infections, new reporting requirement kicks in Jan. 1

A new rule will require hospitals to report infections the follow a patient's treatment in intensive-care units. Meanwhile, a new study finds mortality risks related to dialysis are higher at for-profit chains.

10 Dec 2010

Tru-D UV-C device effective in reducing pathogens on all environmental surfaces in hospital patient rooms

Results of an eight-month hospital study, "Room Decontamination with UV Radiation," were published in the October 2010 issue of "Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology." The study evaluated the ability of an automated UV device, Tru-D, to decontaminate patient rooms contaminated with MRSA, VRE, C. difficile and a MDR strain of Acinetobacter baumannii.

10 Dec 2010

WFP, UNAIDS work to improve nutritional support available for people living with HIV/AIDS

The World Program Program (WFP), with the support of UNAIDS, is planning to launch "a new policy to make food and nutritional support more available to people living with HIV," VOA News reports. The agency "says the aim of [the] program is to help patients stick to their treatment, while protecting their households from further vulnerability," the news service adds.

10 Dec 2010

GeoVax's phase 2a trial results indicate excellent safety profile for HIV vaccine

GeoVax Labs, Inc., announced today that early results from part A of an ongoing phase 2a clinical trial indicate an excellent safety profile and highly reproducible immunogenicity.

10 Dec 2010

Three-day meeting on eliminating river blindness kicks off in Nigeria

A three-day meeting of the WHO African Program for Onchocerciasis (River blindness) Control (WHO/APOC) opened in Abuja, Nigeria, on Tuesday, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports (12/8).

10 Dec 2010

Celulas Genetica to submit international patent application for Rutherford Procedure

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. announced today that its newly acquired biotechnology division Celulas Genetica will submit an international patent application for the Rutherford Procedure, a revolutionary new stem-cell treatment for liver disease.

10 Dec 2010

COPD becomes third leading cause of death in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) released a report today, "Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2008," confirming that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) became the third leading cause of death in the U.S. for 2008.

10 Dec 2010

Haitian cholera pathogen closely related to 'El Tor O1' variant from South Asia

Scientists from Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. and Harvard Medical School have successfully employed single molecule, real-time (SMRT™) DNA sequencing technology to rapidly characterize the pathogen responsible for the recent deadly cholera epidemic in Haiti. Published online Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the results provide the first whole genome sequence analysis and most detailed genetic profile to date of the Haitian Vibrio cholerae outbreak strain.

10 Dec 2010

Opinions: Questioning WHO's relevance; Reforming foreign aid; Efforts to prevent child marriage

"The WHO - for 62 years the world's go-to agency on all public health matters - is today outmoded, underfunded, and overly politicized," Jack Chow, former assistant director-general on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria at WHO, writes in a Foreign Policy Argument where he outlines some of the major issues facing the WHO, including personnel challenges, the agency's "archaic" governance system and a "new atmosphere, where [other] organizations are taking health into their own hands."

10 Dec 2010

Scientists to develop ultra-rapid sexually transmitted infection detection system for clinics

Scientists from the University of Southampton have secured funding to develop an ultra-rapid sexually transmitted infection (STI) detection system for clinics that can detect STIs in under 15 minutes.

9 Dec 2010

Vibrio cholerae evolves two new mechanisms to cause similar disease

New clinical strains of cholera appear to have evolved a distinctly different mechanism to cause the same disease according to research published in the current issue of the online journal mBio-.

9 Dec 2010

Bacterium used to tackle Dengue fever

This January Australian scientists will start deploying a strange bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis in an attempt to halt disease transmission by mosquitoes especially Dengue fever. They are targeting the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Dengue. Dengue is a viral disease that leads to high fever, severe muscle and joint pain and can also be fatal.

9 Dec 2010

Disease/Infection News

New groundbreaking research advances understanding of HIV

New DNA-based testing technology for tuberculosis treatment

Scientists discover key molecular events in immune system that contribute to inflammatory bowel disease

Study finds Haitian cholera strain resembles one from South Asia, carries mutation that increases severity

New study says boxers are at substantial risk for acute injuries to head, heart, and skeleton

Rate of health care-associated infections in developing countries more than double U.S., European rates, study finds

Argos' AGS-004 shows feasibility in in vitro models to generate DC from viremic patients

Young gay men taking risks - raising HIV transmission

In effort to curb preventable ICU infections, new reporting requirement kicks in Jan. 1

Tru-D UV-C device effective in reducing pathogens on all environmental surfaces in hospital patient rooms

WFP, UNAIDS work to improve nutritional support available for people living with HIV/AIDS

GeoVax's phase 2a trial results indicate excellent safety profile for HIV vaccine

Three-day meeting on eliminating river blindness kicks off in Nigeria

Celulas Genetica to submit international patent application for Rutherford Procedure

COPD becomes third leading cause of death in the U.S.

Haitian cholera pathogen closely related to 'El Tor O1' variant from South Asia

Opinions: Questioning WHO's relevance; Reforming foreign aid; Efforts to prevent child marriage

Scientists to develop ultra-rapid sexually transmitted infection detection system for clinics

Vibrio cholerae evolves two new mechanisms to cause similar disease

Bacterium used to tackle Dengue fever

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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