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Anadys begins dosing in ANA598 Phase IIb study for hepatitis C

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, announced today that dosing has begun in the Phase IIb study of ANA598 in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in hepatitis C patients.

26 Jan 2011

Researchers develop anti-HIV gene therapy for rendering T-cells resistant to infection

An innovative genetic strategy for rendering T-cells resistant to HIV infection without affecting their normal growth and activity is described in a paper published in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The paper is available free online.

26 Jan 2011

Research shows how pathogenic bacteria hide inside host cells

A new study into Staphylococcus aureus, the bacterium which is responsible for severe chronic infections worldwide, reveals how bacteria have developed a strategy of hiding within host cells to escape the immune system as well as many antibacterial treatments. The research, published by EMBO Molecular Medicine, demonstrates how ‘phenotype switching’ enables bacteria to adapt to their environmental conditions, lie dormant inside host cells and become a reservoir for relapsing infections.

26 Jan 2011

Measles warnings for Australia and New Zealand

In a flight from Brisbane that arrived in Auckland two weeks ago, a child was confirmed to have measles and has been taken to hospital. Five other cases of the virus have been confirmed. At present a further 100 cases are being investigated by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service.

26 Jan 2011

Survival following transplant surgery for liver cancer not impacted by HIV-positive status

French researchers determined that infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) impaired results of transplant surgery for liver cancer, with more HIV infected patients dropping off the transplantation wait list. The team found that overall survival and recurrence-free survival was not impacted following liver transplantation in patients with controlled HIV disease.

25 Jan 2011

Evaluating patients for genetic variations impacts adherence to antiviral therapy

In two recent studies, researchers have identified two functional variants in the inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) gene that protect patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) against anemia brought on by antiviral treatment. The ability to identify those patients protected against treatment-induced anemia will ensure completion of antiviral therapy and successful elimination of the virus.

25 Jan 2011

Triad alcohol prep pads with ARIXTRA Starter Kits not to be used

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has become aware of a United States market recall of all lots of alcohol prep pads, swabs and swabsticks manufactured by the Triad Group and marketed under various brand names. The Triad Group recall has been initiated due to concerns about potential microbial contamination of the alcohol products with Bacillus cereus that could potentially lead to life-threatening infections.

25 Jan 2011

APIC announces initiative to eliminate central line-associated bloodstream infections

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology today announced a major initiative to eliminate one of the most preventable and deadly infections that patients can acquire in healthcare facilities: central line-associated bloodstream infections, which kill 30,000 people in the U.S. every year.

25 Jan 2011

ASM to host 2011 Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) will host its 2011 Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting February 6-9, 2011 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.

25 Jan 2011

Scientist receives grant for research on parasitic diseases through African biodiversity medicines

McGill University and McGill University scientist Dr. Timothy Geary received a $1-million grant today for landmark research into addressing parasitic diseases through medicines derived from African biodiversity.

25 Jan 2011

NPMA offers tips to recognize and avoid rodent infestations this winter

With the flu and common colds going around, it's hard enough already to stay healthy during the winter, but a rodent infestation could mean a host of other potential health concerns. Rodents can contaminate food sources with feces that can spread Salmonella and Hantavirus. With rodents invading an estimated 21 million homes every winter, the threat to consumers is very real.

25 Jan 2011

m2m, HP collaborate to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission in Africa

Today at the Digital Life Design conference, HP and mothers2mothers (m2m), a South Africa-based nongovernmental organization, announced a new collaboration that will use the power of technology to help prevent the transmission of HIV from HIV-positive pregnant mothers in Africa to their children.

25 Jan 2011

Strong opposition to 'prescription-only' measures for OTC medicines with pseudoephedrine

More than 300 million Americans get the common cold, and up to 70 million get the flu annually. But for the 60 million people who also have asthma and allergies, a cold or flu can pose even greater risks. Together, these respiratory diseases take a devastating toll on public health, costing billions of dollars in direct medical expenses, reducing quality of life, lowering workplace and school performance, and can even be life-threatening to high-risk populations, such as asthma patients.

25 Jan 2011

RRD enters partnership with NIH Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases program

RRD International, a strategy-driven biotech and pharmaceutical product development company, announced today that it has entered into a partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) program as a regulatory support and development partner.

25 Jan 2011

New study finds disparities in chlamydia screening

A new study from the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute has found that Black and especially Hispanic young women are screened for chlamydia at a significantly higher rate than young white women. This discrepancy in screening rates may contribute to nationwide reporting of higher rates of this sexually transmitted disease among minority young women.

25 Jan 2011

Vaccination campaigns to stop yellow fever spread get underway in E. Africa

Individuals traveling across East Africa on Friday were ordered to begin receiving mandatory yellow fever vaccines in an effort "to contain an outbreak of the disease in Uganda," which has sickened an estimated 190 people, resulting in 48 deaths as of Dec. 30, 2010, the Citizen reports (Ubwani, 1/22).

25 Jan 2011

Simple means of improving binding affinity of synbodies

Antibodies are watchdogs of human health, continuously prowling the body and registering minute changes associated with infection or disease with astonishing acuity. They also serve as biochemical memory banks, faithfully recording information about pathogens they encounter and efficiently storing this data for later use.

25 Jan 2011

Fixed Phage to develop products based on Strathclyde's technology for tackling infections

A new company has been launched to commercialise an award-winning technology, developed at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, for tackling bacterial infection and contamination, including superbugs such as MRSA.

25 Jan 2011

Researchers find White-Hispanic disparities in receiving immunization against flu, pneumonia

Seniors of Hispanic descent are far less likely to become immunized against the flu or pneumonia compared to similar White seniors, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

25 Jan 2011

NBC News examines drug-resistant malaria along Thai-Cambodian border

NBC News' "World Blog" reports on the emergence of drug-resistant malaria along the border between Thailand and Cambodia. "The Pailin area [in Cambodia] is now the epicenter of a fight to contain a growing resistance to Artemisinin, which is the world's main anti-malarial drug," the blog writes before noting the global health community's efforts to contain the spread of drug-resistant malaria.

24 Jan 2011

Disease/Infection News

Anadys begins dosing in ANA598 Phase IIb study for hepatitis C

Researchers develop anti-HIV gene therapy for rendering T-cells resistant to infection

Research shows how pathogenic bacteria hide inside host cells

Measles warnings for Australia and New Zealand

Survival following transplant surgery for liver cancer not impacted by HIV-positive status

Evaluating patients for genetic variations impacts adherence to antiviral therapy

Triad alcohol prep pads with ARIXTRA Starter Kits not to be used

APIC announces initiative to eliminate central line-associated bloodstream infections

ASM to host 2011 Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting

Scientist receives grant for research on parasitic diseases through African biodiversity medicines

NPMA offers tips to recognize and avoid rodent infestations this winter

m2m, HP collaborate to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission in Africa

Strong opposition to 'prescription-only' measures for OTC medicines with pseudoephedrine

RRD enters partnership with NIH Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases program

New study finds disparities in chlamydia screening

Vaccination campaigns to stop yellow fever spread get underway in E. Africa

Simple means of improving binding affinity of synbodies

Fixed Phage to develop products based on Strathclyde's technology for tackling infections

Researchers find White-Hispanic disparities in receiving immunization against flu, pneumonia

NBC News examines drug-resistant malaria along Thai-Cambodian border

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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