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Study shows importance of formal education in preventing spread of HIV in Africa

Simply teaching people the facts about how to protect themselves from HIV may not be enough to prevent the spread of AIDS in Africa, a new study suggests.

9 Sep 2010

Scientists to develop test for Mad Cow Disease detection

The eyes may or may not be windows to the soul, as the old adage goes, but scientists are reporting evidence that a peek into the eyes of cattle may become the basis for a long sought test to detect infection with the agent that causes Mad Cow Disease. That test could help prevent the disease from spreading in the food supply. A study on using the tell-tale glow given off by eyes infected with the Mad Cow agent appears in ACS' semi-monthly journal Analytical Chemistry.

9 Sep 2010

Concerted action on antibiotic resistance discussed at Uppsala meeting

For 70 years the world has mismanaged the common good of antibiotics. The result is a growing global burden of antibiotic resistance, threatening to take health care back to an era where ordinary infections might once again become fatal.

9 Sep 2010

Advaxis receives USPTO patent for Listeria vaccine

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has approved Advaxis, Inc.,the live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) immunotherapy company, intellectual property protection to patent application 11/223,945 - a live, attenuated Listeria vaccine that secretes novel fragments of the tumor antigen HER2/neu (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), when using the company's proprietary listeriolysin O (LLO) fusion platform technology.

9 Sep 2010

Researchers reveal surface protein alteration mechanism of mycoplasma bacteria

Pathogenic bacteria have evolved a variety of mechanisms to avoid being killed by the immune systems of the humans and animals they invade. Among the most sophisticated is that practised by mycoplasmas, which regularly change their surface proteins to confuse the immune system. Recent work in the group of Renate Rosengarten and Rohini Chopra-Dewasthaly at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna has revealed surprising new details of the way they do so and at the same time raised important evolutionary questions.

9 Sep 2010

Multi-resistant CNS bacteria spread in Sweden hospitals

Genetically closely related skin bacteria that have developed resistance to several different antibiotics and that can cause intractable care-related infections are found and seem to be spreading within and between hospitals in Sweden.

9 Sep 2010

Groups call for mandatory flu vaccinations for health workers

USA Today: "The American Academy of Pediatrics plans to call for all health workers to get flu vaccinations, saying unvaccinated doctors, nurses and other medical staffers pose a threat to patients. The academy, which represents 60,000 pediatricians, is the latest of several organizations that now back mandatory flu shots for health workers

9 Sep 2010

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals to deliver new data on Aganocide compounds at ICAAC Conference

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class, anti-infective compounds for the treatment and prevention of antibiotic-resistant infections, will deliver four poster presentations on its compounds at the 50th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC).

9 Sep 2010

Insulin may reduce life-threatening bacterial infections in intensive care patients

Treating intensive care patients who develop life-threatening bacterial infections, or septicemia, with insulin potentially could reduce their chances of succumbing to the infection, if results of a new preliminary study can be replicated in a larger study.

9 Sep 2010

Team of scientists issues HIV vaccine strategy

The Council of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise on Tuesday released a new strategy for HIV vaccine research, which marked "the culmination of an 18-month effort that included the input of 400 scientists worldwide," VOA News reports (DeCapua, 9/7).

9 Sep 2010

Hemispherx Biopharma to present clinical data on XMRV retrovirus at International Workshop

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. will present new clinical data on the possible inter-relationships of XMRV positivity/chronic fatigue syndrome/Ampligen responsiveness at the 1st International Workshop on XMRV being held at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, on September 7 and 8, 2010.

9 Sep 2010

AIDS programs reach out to African immigrant community

The Seattle Times reports on educating people about AIDS in the African immigrant community in Seattle.

9 Sep 2010

Opinions: U.S. commitment to Global Fund; Innovative financing; Global food security; Aid for Pakistan

A Times of Trenton editorial looks at the work of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is "estimated to have already saved 5 million lives, enables programs that prevent and treat infections, eliminate the transmission of HIV from pregnant women to their unborn children, contain the threat of multidrug-resistant TB, and eliminate malaria as a public health problem."

9 Sep 2010

Shared needle at school science experiment puts students at risk

In a science experiment at a Tasmanian Dover District high school, a teacher took blood samples from grade 9 and 10 students using the same needle. They were testing blood pH levels. Now students are being tested for HIV infection. The needle was dipped in methylated spirits each time before pricking but authorities say this is not enough to prevent transmission of HIV and other viruses like Hepatitis B and C.

8 Sep 2010

AHF praises US government's increase in PEPFAR funding commitment for Uganda

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, which currently cares for over 49,000 AIDS patients in Uganda through its Uganda CARES network of eleven treatment clinics throughout the country, today lauded the United States government for increasing its funding commitment in Uganda for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the United States' respected global AIDS program.

8 Sep 2010

Emergent BioSolutions initiates Phase I clinical trial for anthrax monoclonal antibody therapeutic

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. announced today that the Phase I clinical trial for its anthrax monoclonal antibody therapeutic has commenced with the dosing of the first subject. Emergent's fully human monoclonal antibody product candidate is being developed as a parenteral post-exposure therapeutic to treat symptoms of inhalational anthrax disease.

8 Sep 2010

AVAC welcomes new Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise Scientific Strategic Plan

AVAC welcomes the new Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise Scientific Strategic Plan, released today, as a critical document that the field must implement as part of ongoing efforts to improve coordination, efficiency and transparency to quickly capitalize on recent advances in AIDS vaccine research.

8 Sep 2010

Experts gathered for UNAIDS, WHO meeting recommend follow-up studies of ARV-containing microbicide gel start soon

Experts gathered at a joint meeting of UNAIDS and the WHO last week called for two additional clinical trials to test the effectiveness and safety of a microbicide vaginal gel containing the antiretroviral tenofovir, which previous studies have shown reduces the risk of HIV transmission in women who used it before and after sex by 39 percent, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports (9/5).

8 Sep 2010

Data finds low risk of serious complications in 2009 H1N1 infection

An analysis of data from influenza cases in Wisconsin indicates individuals with 2009 H1N1 infections were younger than those with H3N2 (2007-2008), and that the risk of most serious complications was not higher in adults or children with 2009 H1N1 compared with recent seasonal strains, according to a study in the September 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Sep 2010

Risks of 'imported' measles

An outbreak of measles at an international youth soccer event illustrates the risks of with "imported" measles, according to a study in the September issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

8 Sep 2010