Disease/Infection News

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Study shows antiviral drugs could offer protection against HIV, Ebola, herpes and hepatitis C

The development of antibiotics gave physicians seemingly miraculous weapons against infectious disease. Effective cures for terrible afflictions like pneumonia, syphilis and tuberculosis were suddenly at hand. Moreover, many of the drugs that made them possible were versatile enough to knock out a wide range of deadly bacterial threats.

2 Feb 2010

U.S. government resumes medical evacuations from Haiti; new food voucher distribution targeting women begins

"The U.S. government said on Sunday it would resume military evacuation flights" within 12 hours for critically ill and injured Haitians who were harmed in the Jan. 12 earthquake, Reuters reports (Rosenberg/Brown, 1/31). Medical evacuations had been suspended for a few days, but the reason for the suspension "is unclear as various government authorities have provided different explanations," the Wall Street Journal reports.

2 Feb 2010

New therapeutic made from tobacco plants shown to arrest West Nile virus infection

A new therapeutic made from tobacco plants has been shown to arrest West Nile virus infection, according to a new study by Arizona State University scientist Qiang Chen and his colleagues.

2 Feb 2010

FDA and PATH collaborate to advance pneumococcal vaccine development for children

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced a collaboration with PATH to advance development of a vaccine to protect children against diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), especially pneumonia.

2 Feb 2010

Study could help in developing therapeutic strategies for Chikungunya virus infection

A study published online on February 1 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (www.jem.org) shows that antiviral proteins called type I interferons (IFNs) are needed to fend off infection with an exotic mosquito-borne virus called Chikungunya virus.

2 Feb 2010

Serious liver disorder associated with use of HIV drug, FDA warns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that non-cirrhotic portal hypertension, a rare, but serious, liver disorder, has been reported in some HIV patients taking Videx/Videx EC (didanosine).

2 Feb 2010

Researchers identify antiviral small molecule that is effective against numerous viruses

Viruses are insidious creatures. They differ from each other in many ways, and they can mutate - at times seemingly at will, as with HIV - to resist a host of weapons fired at them. Complicating matters further is that new viruses are constantly emerging.

2 Feb 2010

More details on Obama's global health strategy expected along with budget release, Wall Street Journal reports

"The Obama administration is expected to propose in its fiscal 2011 budget Monday new funding to combat preventable and tropical diseases, malnutrition and other conditions afflicting the world's poor, as part of a strategy to broaden its approach to global health," the Wall Street Journal reports.

2 Feb 2010

Experimental vaccine reduced TB rate among HIV-positive people in Tanzania, Study finds

An experimental vaccine was found to reduce the rate of tuberculosis infections in patients living with HIV, "the first time a shot has been shown to reduce cases of the most common AIDS-related cause of death in poor nations," Bloomberg reports (Bennett, 1/29). Tuberculosis accounts for up to one-third of AIDS deaths worldwide, CBC News reports.

1 Feb 2010

TOPICA's IND for onychomycosis antifungal agent accepted by FDA

TOPICA Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held biotechnology company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the use of luliconazole, its lead product candidate, in patients with onychomycosis (nail and nail bed fungal infections).

1 Feb 2010

Romark Laboratories commences enrollment in Alinia clinical trial for acute uncomplicated influenza

Romark Laboratories announced that it has initiated enrollment of patients in a clinical trial of Alinia® (nitazoxanide) for treating acute uncomplicated influenza including illness caused by the currently circulating H1N1 strain.

1 Feb 2010

Denim blue jeans ribbon campaign: an initiative to raise awareness about children with rare diseases

Hope – It's In Our Genes.™ The Children's Rare Disease Network (http://www.crdnetwork.org) today announced the Global Genes Project (http://www.globalgenesproject.org), an initiative designed to raise awareness about the prevalence of rare diseases that afflict millions of children worldwide. Rare disease advocates organizing the campaign selected a blue jeans denim ribbon as the international symbol of hope for children suffering from life threatening and chronically debilitating rare diseases.

1 Feb 2010

WHO pneumonia expert honored with PACE Global Leadership Award

WHO pneumonia expert Dr. Thomas Cherian will be honored by a group of the world’s leading infectious disease experts today for his pivotal work to accelerate access to vaccines preventing pneumococcal disease, the world’s leading vaccine-preventable killer of children under age five.

31 Jan 2010

Breakthrough in HIV research leads to better treatment potential

Researchers have made a breakthrough in HIV research that had eluded scientists for over 20 years, potentially leading to better treatments for HIV, in a study published today in the journal Nature.

31 Jan 2010

Study identifies key demographic and psychological factors that predict protective behaviour during pandemics

A study that looked at how people behave during pandemics has identified key demographic and psychological factors that may predict protective behaviours. The study is published online today, 30th January 2010, in the British Journal of Health Psychology.

30 Jan 2010

U.S. Marshals seize unapproved ozone generators from Applied Ozone Systems

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Marshals today seized 79 ozone generators, models AOS-1M and AOS-1MD, from Applied Ozone Systems of Auburn, Calif. The seized goods, which are medical devices, are valued at $75,900.

30 Jan 2010

One-third of dairy products exceed microbe contamination levels, says study

One-third of samples of milk and dairy products analysed in various restaurants exceed the microbe contamination limits set by the European Union, according to a study carried out by researchers from the University of Valencia (UV). The experts advise against keeping milk in jugs and suggest that these foodstuffs need to be better handled.

30 Jan 2010

Wrestlers are at higher risk for skin infections than other athletes

As high school and college wrestlers return to the mats in preparation for February tournaments and post-season championships, their risk for the skin infection Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) increases significantly.

30 Jan 2010

New vaccine effective in preventing TB in HIV patients

Investigators from Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) have reported results of a clinical trial showing that a new vaccine against tuberculosis, Mycobacterium vaccae (MV), is effective in preventing tuberculosis in people with HIV infection.

30 Jan 2010

At World Economic Forum, Gates Foundation announces 10-year, $10B vaccine commitment

Bill and Melinda Gates announced Friday during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that their foundation would commit $10 billion over the next decade to research, develop and deliver vaccines for the world's poorest countries, the New York Times reports (McNeil, 1/29). The Gateses "said they hope the commitment would spur support by governments, corporations, and other donors for vaccinations efforts," the Chronicle of Philanthropy writes (Wilhelm, 1/29).

30 Jan 2010

Disease/Infection News

Study shows antiviral drugs could offer protection against HIV, Ebola, herpes and hepatitis C

U.S. government resumes medical evacuations from Haiti; new food voucher distribution targeting women begins

New therapeutic made from tobacco plants shown to arrest West Nile virus infection

FDA and PATH collaborate to advance pneumococcal vaccine development for children

Study could help in developing therapeutic strategies for Chikungunya virus infection

Serious liver disorder associated with use of HIV drug, FDA warns

Researchers identify antiviral small molecule that is effective against numerous viruses

More details on Obama's global health strategy expected along with budget release, Wall Street Journal reports

Experimental vaccine reduced TB rate among HIV-positive people in Tanzania, Study finds

TOPICA's IND for onychomycosis antifungal agent accepted by FDA

Romark Laboratories commences enrollment in Alinia clinical trial for acute uncomplicated influenza

Denim blue jeans ribbon campaign: an initiative to raise awareness about children with rare diseases

WHO pneumonia expert honored with PACE Global Leadership Award

Breakthrough in HIV research leads to better treatment potential

Study identifies key demographic and psychological factors that predict protective behaviour during pandemics

U.S. Marshals seize unapproved ozone generators from Applied Ozone Systems

One-third of dairy products exceed microbe contamination levels, says study

Wrestlers are at higher risk for skin infections than other athletes

New vaccine effective in preventing TB in HIV patients

At World Economic Forum, Gates Foundation announces 10-year, $10B vaccine commitment

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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