Disease/Infection News

RSS

Silver nanoparticles effective at killing all kinds of bacteria

Writing in the International Journal of Nanoparticles, Rani Pattabi and colleagues at Mangalore University, explain how blasting silver nitrate solution with an electron beam can generate nanoparticles that are more effective at killing all kinds of bacteria, including gram-negative species that are not harmed by conventional antibacterial agents.

25 May 2010

FDA issues 510(k) clearance to Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test on 3M Integrated Cycler

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued 510(k) clearance to the Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test on the 3M Integrated Cycler. The Simplexa test, developed and manufactured by Quest Diagnostics' Focus Diagnostics business, is the first to be cleared by the FDA for use as an aid in the detection and differentiation of influenza A and 2009 H1N1 influenza viral RNA.

25 May 2010

FDA clears Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it has cleared the Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009), a test for the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus in patients with signs and symptoms of respiratory infection.

24 May 2010

BinaxNOW PBP2a test to detect PBP2a in MRSA

AdvanDx today announced that it will offer the BinaxNOW PBP2a test from Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. (Waltham, MA) to customers in the United States. The test provides rapid detection of the penicillin-binding protein 2a present in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) directly from S. aureus positive blood cultures.

24 May 2010

Raw alfalfa sprouts linked to outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections in 10 states

Caldwell Fresh Foods of Maywood, Calif., is voluntarily recalling all of its alfalfa sprouts marketed under the Caldwell Fresh Foods, Nature's Choice, and California Exotics brands. The firm's alfalfa sprouts have been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections in consumers in ten states.

24 May 2010

Lytix Biopharma receives approval to initiate Phase I/IIa clinical trial of Lytixar for MRSA

The Norwegian pharmaceutical company Lytix Biopharma AS today announces the approval by the Swedish Medical Products Agency to commence a Phase I/IIa clinical trial with Lytixar (LTX-109) for nasal decolonisation of MRSA.

24 May 2010

Penn State receives $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant to support global health research

Penn State has received a $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will support an innovative global health research project conducted by Consuelo De Moraes, associate professor of entomology, titled "Scent of Disease: Diagnostic for Malaria Infection in Humans."

24 May 2010

New study indicates pregnancy can double HIV risk in men

Young women of reproductive-age are among those at greatest risk of acquiring HIV, and several studies have suggested that during pregnancy women are even more susceptible to infection.

24 May 2010

Health leaders discuss polio, alcohol, childhood obesity at WHA

From the 63rd World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, the Associated Press reports on what some "describe as a new strategy to get rid of" polio that focuses on developing solutions to "problems in each country, provides more WHO monitoring, like more teleconferences, and holds governments more accountable." The plans also provide "[n]ew [polio] outbreak response plans," according to the AP.

24 May 2010

Research on new types of anti-HIV drugs presented at International Microbicides Conference

Researchers testing a vaginal microbicide based on a new type of anti-HIV drug found it provided monkeys significant protection against infection with a virus similar to HIV, according to a study reported at the International Microbicides Conference in Pittsburgh today.

24 May 2010

WHA passes a new resolution to combat childhood pneumonia

For the first time ever, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution today focused on the prevention and treatment of pneumonia, the world's leading killer of children.

24 May 2010

Groundwater contaminants present potential health concern

More than 20 percent of untreated water samples from 932 public wells across the nation contained at least one contaminant at levels of potential health concern, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey.

24 May 2010

Influenza antiviral drugs not hoarded during recent H1N1 flu season, says Prime Therapeutics

Despite concerns from public health officials, influenza antiviral drugs were not hoarded during the recent H1N1 flu season, according to a new analysis presented recently at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's 22nd Annual Meeting in San Diego by Prime Therapeutics (Prime), a thought leader in pharmacy benefit management.

21 May 2010

Sorrento Therapeutics receives STTR grant to develop antibody therapeutics to combat MRSA

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that it has received an Advanced Technology Small Business Technology Transfer Research grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The peer-reviewed grant was awarded to support the Company's program to generate and develop novel antibody therapeutics and vaccines to combat Staphylococcus aureus infections, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus, by disrupting quorum sensing, a bacterial communication process essential to virulence.

21 May 2010

German states may face healthcare crisis: Study

Within the next ten years, there will be deficiencies in healthcare provision in parts of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. This is the conclusion reached by Ulrike Siewert of Greifswald University and her coauthors in the current edition of Deutsches -rzteblatt International.

21 May 2010

Clinical Infectious Diseases journal examines new scientific advances to curb HIV, TB epidemics

As US policymakers consider scaling back on its historic initiative to fight AIDS around the world and downsizing goals to combat tuberculosis, next-generation treatment and prevention strategies to significantly reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are now imminent. New science can dramatically change the trajectory of both deadly epidemics, according to a special new issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

21 May 2010

Hepatitis C affects so many people and yet not recognized as serious public health problem

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and you may find it surprising to learn an estimated 4 million Americans have been infected with Hepatitis C. This silent disease is three to five times more prevalent than HIV. Hepatitis C is the most common cause of liver transplants in the U.S.

21 May 2010

Media examines recent Oxfam report on impact of aid to developing countries

In a recent report, Oxfam "outlines how aid has contributed to economic growth in poor countries by getting 33 million more children into school, boosting access to HIV drugs tenfold, funding tens of millions of anti-malaria bed nets, and building up health services," Reuters AlertNet reports (Rowling, 5/20).

21 May 2010

Studies identify new chemical compounds that could lead to development of new malaria drugs

Researchers have identified thousands of chemical compounds that could be used to develop new malaria drugs, two studies published in the journal Nature on Wednesday show, the Wall Street Journal reports.

21 May 2010

Hendra virus infects a horse in south Queensland – authorities fear spread

A horse was put down at Tewantin, near Noosa and it was confirmed that it had Hendra virus infection. At present quarantine measures are being taken.

20 May 2010

Disease/Infection News

Silver nanoparticles effective at killing all kinds of bacteria

FDA issues 510(k) clearance to Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test on 3M Integrated Cycler

FDA clears Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test

BinaxNOW PBP2a test to detect PBP2a in MRSA

Raw alfalfa sprouts linked to outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections in 10 states

Lytix Biopharma receives approval to initiate Phase I/IIa clinical trial of Lytixar for MRSA

Penn State receives $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant to support global health research

New study indicates pregnancy can double HIV risk in men

Health leaders discuss polio, alcohol, childhood obesity at WHA

Research on new types of anti-HIV drugs presented at International Microbicides Conference

WHA passes a new resolution to combat childhood pneumonia

Groundwater contaminants present potential health concern

Influenza antiviral drugs not hoarded during recent H1N1 flu season, says Prime Therapeutics

Sorrento Therapeutics receives STTR grant to develop antibody therapeutics to combat MRSA

German states may face healthcare crisis: Study

Clinical Infectious Diseases journal examines new scientific advances to curb HIV, TB epidemics

Hepatitis C affects so many people and yet not recognized as serious public health problem

Media examines recent Oxfam report on impact of aid to developing countries

Studies identify new chemical compounds that could lead to development of new malaria drugs

Hendra virus infects a horse in south Queensland – authorities fear spread

Edoardo Fabini

Reducing polypharmacy through innovative drug formulation technologies

How innovation in dried blood spot testing is transforming neurological disease monitoring

Latest News