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Intensive program helps French hospital reduce MRSA rates over 15-year period

An intensive program of surveillance, precautions, training and feedback in a large multihospital institution appears to be associated with reductions in rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) over a 15-year period, according to a report in the March 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

23 Mar 2010

First reported Australian swine flu case of 2010 – gearing up with protective measures

Swine flu a form of influenza, became a major health scare assuming pandemic proportions starting in Mexico early last year. There were 37,000 confirmed cases in Australia with 5,000 hospitalizations, 700 admissions in intensive care units and 191 deaths.

23 Mar 2010

Infections from Clostridium difficile on the rise in community hospitals

While prevention methods appear to be helping to lower hospital infection rates from MRSA, a deadly antibiotic-resistant bacterium, a new superbug is on the rise, according to research from the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network.

23 Mar 2010

Novo Nordisk Foundation donates $160M to University of Copenhagen for metabolic research

The Center will conduct research into Type 2 diabetes, among other diseases, and will acquire the capacities and resources to establish itself as one of the leading international research centers in the world. With 885 million Danish kroner (approx. 160 million US Dollars) from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, a team of 5 leading research scientists will be headhunted by the University to oversee "The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research".

From Novo Nordisk 23 Mar 2010

Administration official discusses Obama's commitment to Africa's food security in Reuters interview

Food security is central to President Barack Obama's Africa policy, "the administration's top official for Africa," Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson, said in an interview with Reuters. "We want to see the food security initiative take on greater momentum as more African countries are drawn into this program," Carson said.

23 Mar 2010

Chest x-rays may help identify high-risk H1N1 patients

A new study published in the April issue of Radiology suggests that chest x-rays may play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of H1N1 influenza by predicting which patients are likely to become sicker.

23 Mar 2010

WHO H1N1 vaccine shipments headed to more developing countries

The WHO on Friday announced "it had delivered the first doses of H1N1 [swine flu] vaccine to Cuba, and a dozen countries in Africa would receive millions of doses in coming weeks," Reuters reports.

23 Mar 2010

New understanding of cell in immune system may guide creation of effective flu vaccines: Study

A new understanding of a certain cell in the immune system may help guide scientists in creating better flu vaccines, report researchers from the Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the Immune Disease Institute at Children's Hospital Boston.

23 Mar 2010

GSK notifies regulatory authorities of the presence of PCV-1 in Rotarix vaccine

GlaxoSmithKline today confirmed that it has notified regulatory authorities of the presence of material from a virus called PCV-1 in its oral rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix™. PCV-1 does not multiply in humans and is not known to cause illness in humans.

23 Mar 2010

Meridian Bioscience seeks FDA marketing clearance for illumigene C. difficile molecular diagnostic test

Meridian Bioscience, Inc. announced today that it has submitted a 510(k) application to the United States Food and Drug Administration for marketing clearance of its new, simple molecular diagnostic test, illumigene™ C. difficile. illumigene is a simplified new technology platform, based upon loop amplification (LAMP) that makes molecular diagnostic testing possible for any size laboratory.

23 Mar 2010

Understanding the African mindset may help promote health education in rural areas

Seen through western eyes, beliefs in supernatural forces are common in Ghana and other African countries. Death, suffering and diseases are often attributed to witchcraft. Over thirty per cent of its inhabitants believe such evil forces could be responsible for the spread of HIV/AIDS.

22 Mar 2010

University of Maryland professor honored with the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize

Dr. Rita Colwell, distinguished Professor from the University of Maryland and John Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health in the United States, has been named the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate. Dr. Colwell's pioneering research on the prevention of waterborne infectious diseases has helped protect the health and lives of millions.

22 Mar 2010

Microglia contribute to loss of neurons linked with Alzheimer's disease

Microglia are the cells responsible for immune surveillance in the brain, and they initiate protective inflammatory reactions in response to tissue damage and infection. An international team under the leadership of LMU neuroscientist Professor Jochen Herms has now shown that these cells may actually make a significant contribution to the loss of neurons associated with Alzheimer's disease.

22 Mar 2010

Chao BRAIN Center receives $5M gift for study of progressive neurodegenerative diseases

Dr. Stephen Wong has received a $5 million gift from the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation to study progressive neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's Disease. The gift will support The Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Bioinformatics Research and Imaging for Neurosciences (BRAIN) at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute.

22 Mar 2010

Vical awarded contract to conduct Phase 1 clinical trial of Vaxfectin-formulated DNA vaccine against A/H1N1

Vical Incorporated announced today that the U.S. Navy, through the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., has awarded Vical a contract to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial of the company's Vaxfectin®-formulated DNA vaccine against A/H1N1 pandemic influenza (swine flu).

22 Mar 2010

Researchers develop new compound to inhibit HIV transmission

A compound that can inhibit the transfer of HIV from one cell to another has been developed by researchers at the Institut de Biologie Structurale Jean-Pierre Ebel.

22 Mar 2010

Tricking TB into suicidal self-poisoning

Scientists have identified a new class of drug target that tricks tuberculosis bacteria into suicidal self-poisoning. New therapies are urgently required to control the tuberculosis pandemic. Even in the UK cases are on the rise.

22 Mar 2010

E. coli scare ends with assurance of safe dinking water

Amidst a water contamination scare people in Nerang, QLD were warned last Friday to boil their drinking water. The contaminating agent was a bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) that is one of the leading causes of gastrointestinal and urinary tract infections. The scare involved nearly 2,500 families.

22 Mar 2010

PharmAthene suspends work on SparVax research and development contract with BARDA

PharmAthene, Inc., a biodefense company specializing in the development and commercialization of medical countermeasures against chemical and biological threats, announced today that pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulations and pending a ruling in a protest recently filed by a competitor the Department of Health and Human Services, through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), has suspended work under the modification the Company announced on February 23, 2010 to its existing contract with BARDA for the research and development of SparVax™. June 11, 2010 is the deadline to rule on the protest.

22 Mar 2010

AARDA launches campaign on family AQ

In honor of the designation of March as National Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month by the U.S. Senate on March 4, 2010, the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) wants to help you learn your family's AQ. AQ is a play on IQ that stands for Autoimmune Quotient. It's about knowing how likely you or a loved one is to develop an autoimmune disease, based on the prevalence of these diseases and your family history. The campaign features AARDA National Spokesperson and Actress Kellie Martin, best known for her memorable roles on "E.R." and "Life Goes On."

22 Mar 2010

Disease/Infection News

Intensive program helps French hospital reduce MRSA rates over 15-year period

First reported Australian swine flu case of 2010 – gearing up with protective measures

Infections from Clostridium difficile on the rise in community hospitals

Novo Nordisk Foundation donates $160M to University of Copenhagen for metabolic research

Administration official discusses Obama's commitment to Africa's food security in Reuters interview

Chest x-rays may help identify high-risk H1N1 patients

WHO H1N1 vaccine shipments headed to more developing countries

New understanding of cell in immune system may guide creation of effective flu vaccines: Study

GSK notifies regulatory authorities of the presence of PCV-1 in Rotarix vaccine

Meridian Bioscience seeks FDA marketing clearance for illumigene C. difficile molecular diagnostic test

Understanding the African mindset may help promote health education in rural areas

University of Maryland professor honored with the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize

Microglia contribute to loss of neurons linked with Alzheimer's disease

Chao BRAIN Center receives $5M gift for study of progressive neurodegenerative diseases

Vical awarded contract to conduct Phase 1 clinical trial of Vaxfectin-formulated DNA vaccine against A/H1N1

Researchers develop new compound to inhibit HIV transmission

Tricking TB into suicidal self-poisoning

E. coli scare ends with assurance of safe dinking water

PharmAthene suspends work on SparVax research and development contract with BARDA

AARDA launches campaign on family AQ

Redefining control and consistency in anaerobic microbiome workflows

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting

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