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Also in Global Health News: China's health care system; Breastfeeding practices in Pakistan; HIV transmission in MSM; Abu Dhabi joins malaria fight

The Los Angeles Times examines China's transition to "Western-style privatized medicine" through the government's "$124-billion overhaul, chiefly to improve service in rural areas." The article details the efforts of a woman from Inner Mongolia to get care in Beijing for her ailing father and looks at climbing health care costs and the growing "black market for medical care" (Pierson, 2/11).

12 Feb 2010

Antibodies also contribute to severe dengue virus-induced disease, confirms La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology

A leading immunology research institute has validated the long-held and controversial hypothesis that antibodies - usually the "good guys" in the body's fight against viruses - instead contribute to severe dengue virus-induced disease, the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology announced today. The finding has major implications for the development of a first-ever vaccine against dengue virus, a growing public health threat which annually infects 50 to 100 million people worldwide, causing a half million cases of the severest form.

12 Feb 2010

Study: Hospitalizations for H1N1 differ from hospitalizations associated with typical flu

When compared to a typical flu, the H1N1 virus resulted in a higher proportion of patients requiring specialized hospital services - and affected younger people more - according to a new study released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

12 Feb 2010

Positive results from Shire's velaglucerase alfa Phase III study for Type 1 Gaucher disease

Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today presented positive results from its first Phase III study (TKT 032) evaluating safety and efficacy of velaglucerase alfa, its investigational enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of Type 1 Gaucher disease. The data were presented in an oral presentation at the Lysosomal Disease Network (LDN) World Symposium in Miami, Florida.

12 Feb 2010

Heavy rains hit tent camps in Haiti

Heavy rains hit earthquake survivors in tent camps in Port-au-Prince on Thursday, "bringing a warning of fresh misery to come for the 1 million people living on the streets," Reuters reports.

12 Feb 2010

Scientists find single-dose of drug cures visceral leishmaniasis

A study has shown that a single infusion of Gilead Sciences' drug AmBisome, known generically as iposomal amphotericin B, cured nearly all patients with visceral leishmaniasis, or kala-azar, a parasitic infection, Reuters reports.

12 Feb 2010

New screening system developed to discover molecules that block HCV life cycle

A newly designed system of identifying molecules for treating hepatitis C should enable scientists to discover novel and effective therapies for the dangerous and difficult-to-cure disease of the liver, says Zhilei Chen, a Texas A&M University assistant professor of chemical engineering who helped develop the screening system.

12 Feb 2010

Emory-UGA IPIRC to host symposium on H1N1 virus

The Emory - University of Georgia Influenza Pathogenesis and Immunology Research Center will host a symposium April 18 - 20 at the Emory Conference Center featuring an international roster of speakers.

11 Feb 2010

PARI Pharma commences enrollment in L-CsA Phase 2b efficacy study

PARI Pharma has enrolled the first patient in its Phase 2b clinical trial studying inhaled liposomal cyclosporine A (L-CsA) delivered via a customized Investigational eFlow Nebulizer System. The multinational study is investigating the safety and efficacy of PARI's L-CsA formulation. In previous clinical trials, reactions from physicians and lung transplant recipients to PARI's drug-device combination were encouraging.

11 Feb 2010

FDA grants approval for Abbott's antiretroviral medication Norvir

Abbott announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval of a new tablet formulation of the company's antiretroviral medication Norvir ® (ritonavir). The new Norvir tablets can be stored at room temperature and do not require refrigeration, making it more convenient for patients.

11 Feb 2010

Oral hygiene: Insights

Oral health is often the window to your overall health. Evidence has supported the link between poor oral health and such conditions as stroke, premature birth and diabetes. Other conditions, such as HIV/AIDS and osteoporosis may show preliminary signs in your mouth, before other areas of the body are affected. Also, some of your daily activities or habits can affect your oral health. Therefore, it's wise to pay attention to your teeth and gums.

11 Feb 2010

HIV/AIDS seen as a gay man's disease, despite growing number of HIV infections in women

The MAC AIDS Fund (MAF) today launched its latest VIVA GLAM campaign, a women's initiative aimed at strengthening the service network and resources available to women living with and at risk of contracting HIV.

11 Feb 2010

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group subsidiary receives Chinese SFDA approval for Zanamivir

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, a leading pharmaceutical company specializing in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of branded generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals in China, today announced that one of its subsidiaries, Nanjing Simcere Dongyuan Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., has received new drug registration approval from the State Food and Drug Administration ("SFDA") to manufacture and sell Zanamivir, a neuraminidase inhibitor inhalant used in the prevention and treatment of Influenza A and Influenza B. Zanamivir is marketed globally by GlaxoSmithKline under the trade name Relenza.

11 Feb 2010

Also in global health news: N. Korea harvest; Zimbabwe’s health system; malaria parasite; training India's rural health workers; Myanmar recovery; health in Uganda

ZimOnline examines Zimbabwe's health system, which the country's health minister, Henry Madzorera, says has improved, but is still in need of additional progress.

11 Feb 2010

Biomagnetics Diagnostics to accelerate development of assay test cartridge for malaria, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and TB

Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp., a developer of revolutionary diagnostic systems and technology for malaria, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis and detection, announced today the implementation of a program to accelerate the availability of the world's first Integrated Optical BioSensor (IOBS) platform. The Company is currently reviewing research and manufacturing partnerships to develop simple to replicate bench top versions of the IOBS platform on which single pathogen or multiple pathogen testing assay cartridges can be developed.

11 Feb 2010

NCCID to host consultation with national and international experts to discuss ways to fight superbugs

The National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) is hosting a consultation with national and international experts in Winnipeg on February 10th and 11th, 2010 to discuss ways to fight the threat posed by "superbugs," or bacteria that are increasingly resistant to conventional treatment with antibiotics.

11 Feb 2010

UC experts recommend binational prevention efforts for TB and HIV infections

The results of an innovative study to understand what factors may influence who contracts tuberculosis (TB)/HIV co-infection in San Diego show a significant shift in the ethnic makeup of the disease, with the majority of cases now coming from the Hispanic community.

11 Feb 2010

Survey shows one quarter of Ontario hospitals have no influenza pandemic plan

One quarter of Ontario hospitals surveyed in a Queen's University-led study do not have an influenza pandemic plan and few plans that do exist have been tested. In addition, key players were not involved in developing the plans, and funding for pandemic preparedness was inadequate.

11 Feb 2010

Eczema can lead to behavioral and psychological problems in children

Eczema in early childhood may influence behavior and mental health later in life. This is a key finding of a prospective birth cohort study to which scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum M-nchen contributed.

11 Feb 2010

PLAN C Agency launches Hepatitis B awareness campaign in the West Coast

PLAN C Agency, in collaboration with biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, launched a Hepatitis B awareness campaign titled "B HERE" at three college campuses in the West Coast. The goal was to raise the much needed awareness regarding the rising epidemic of Hepatitis B among Asian Americans and educate the youth on the importance of getting tested.

11 Feb 2010

Disease/Infection News

Also in Global Health News: China's health care system; Breastfeeding practices in Pakistan; HIV transmission in MSM; Abu Dhabi joins malaria fight

Antibodies also contribute to severe dengue virus-induced disease, confirms La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology

Study: Hospitalizations for H1N1 differ from hospitalizations associated with typical flu

Positive results from Shire's velaglucerase alfa Phase III study for Type 1 Gaucher disease

Heavy rains hit tent camps in Haiti

Scientists find single-dose of drug cures visceral leishmaniasis

New screening system developed to discover molecules that block HCV life cycle

Emory-UGA IPIRC to host symposium on H1N1 virus

PARI Pharma commences enrollment in L-CsA Phase 2b efficacy study

FDA grants approval for Abbott's antiretroviral medication Norvir

Oral hygiene: Insights

HIV/AIDS seen as a gay man's disease, despite growing number of HIV infections in women

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group subsidiary receives Chinese SFDA approval for Zanamivir

Also in global health news: N. Korea harvest; Zimbabwe’s health system; malaria parasite; training India's rural health workers; Myanmar recovery; health in Uganda

Biomagnetics Diagnostics to accelerate development of assay test cartridge for malaria, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and TB

NCCID to host consultation with national and international experts to discuss ways to fight superbugs

UC experts recommend binational prevention efforts for TB and HIV infections

Survey shows one quarter of Ontario hospitals have no influenza pandemic plan

Eczema can lead to behavioral and psychological problems in children

PLAN C Agency launches Hepatitis B awareness campaign in the West Coast

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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