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Iowa State University's researcher develops and ships H1N1 vaccine for swine producers

The only swine vaccine available for the H1N1 virus has been sent to vaccinate a swine herd infected with the virus. The vaccination marks the first time vaccine has been sent to a swine herd diagnosed with the pandemic flu.

24 Nov 2009

Treatment rates for hepatitis C virus declining, say researchers

Researchers from the University of Michigan determined that only 663,000 of the approximately 3.9 million Americans with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection received antiviral therapy between 2002 and 2007.

24 Nov 2009

Study: Impaired oxidation in liver associated with progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

A recent metobolomics study by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond found that impaired peroxisomal oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is associated with the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

24 Nov 2009

Misconceptions about contraception contribute to lack of family-planning n Uganda

University of Alberta graduate student Jennifer Heys wants to make her message clear: there needs to be more education in Ugandan communities about contraception.

24 Nov 2009

10 x '20 Initiative calls for global commitment to develop 10 new antibiotics by 2020

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has asked for a commitment from the Obama administration and the European Union to further the Society's mission to achieve the development of 10 new antibiotics within the next 10 years, known as the 10 x '20 Initiative. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antimicrobial resistance as one of the three greatest threats to human health.

24 Nov 2009

Antiviral therapy for hepatitis C appears to be declining in the U.S.; lack of diagnosis is primary barrier to treatment

23 Nov 2009

Opinion: China forced abortions; U.S. work in Africa; foreign aid; Uganda legislation

"One of the few incontrovertible assertions one can reasonably make is that no one supports forced abortion," syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker writes in a Detroit News opinion piece that examines reports of "coerced abortions" and involuntary sterilizations in China.

23 Nov 2009

New York Times magazine examines needle-exchange programs

In a New York Times magazine article, Tina Rosenberg examines how needle sharing has contributed to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the viability of needle exchange programs as a prevention strategy.

23 Nov 2009

H1N1 spreading eastward, WHO says

The H1N1 (swine flu) virus appears to be spreading eastward across Europe and Asia, after appearing to have leveled off in the U.S. and some western European countries, the WHO said Friday, Reuters reports.

23 Nov 2009

Guardian examines challenge of testing, treating patients with HIV/AIDS in Kenya

The Guardian examines the challenge of testing and treating some of the estimated 1.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. "Deep-rooted stigma and patchy health education has led many to cower from the disease, which has seen the country's life expectancy rates shortened by 20 years in the last two decades," the newspaper writes. Even though "[t]he country's government has supplied antiretroviral therapy (ART) to suppress the virus to patients for free since 2006, … of the 390,000 adults estimated as being eligible for ART at the time of the survey, around 140,000, or 35%, were taking the medication," according to a 2007 country survey.

23 Nov 2009

CDC: 'Beggining to see some declines in swine flu'

Reuters: "The pandemic of swine flu may be hitting a peak in the United States, health experts said on Friday. But they stressed that influenza, especially a pandemic, could hit several peaks in a single season. They said weeks or months more of disease could be expected.

23 Nov 2009

Augusta woman sues Fairbank Farms over E. coli infected ground beef

As news broke that more Maine residents may be infected with E. coli from Fairbank Farms ground beef, an Augusta woman severely sickened in the E. coli outbreak has filed suit against the company. The lawsuit was filed in the Maine District Court by the plaintiff’s attorneys, Bill Marler of foodborne illness law firm Marler Clark, and Peter Felmley of the Portland firm Drummond, Woodsum, & MacMahon.

23 Nov 2009

STD infections continue to rise among young people

Sexually spread diseases continue to rise, with reported chlamydia cases setting yet another record in 2008, officials at the Centers for Disease Control recently reported. The CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new STD infections occur each year. Approximately half of them occur in young people between 15 to 24 years of age.

23 Nov 2009

Enrollment for ongoing phase 2b trial of RG7128 announced

Pharmasset, Inc. announced today that the enrollment of Cohort 2, led by its partner Roche, will continue for the remaining 300 genotype 1 and 4 patients in the ongoing phase 2b trial of RG7128, a first-in-class nucleoside analog polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

23 Nov 2009

ASP's French affiliate acquires Gloster Europe

Advanced Sterilization Products (ASP), a leading global infection prevention solution provider, announced today the acquisition by its French affiliate, Apsis S.A.S., of Gloster Europe, a privately held developer of innovative disinfection processes and technologies to prevent healthcare-acquired infections. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

23 Nov 2009

OEPA reports substantial reduction of river blindness in six endemic countries

A regional initiative launched in the 1990s to eliminate onchocerciasis (river blindness) in the Americas has substantially reduced the prevalence of the disease in recent years, as evidenced by a 31% decrease in the number of individuals requiring mass drug administration in six endemic countries. Results were reported today at the 58th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).

23 Nov 2009

OMA praises health care workers for their hard work and dedication during flu season

At its annual fall meeting, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) recognized front line health care workers for their hard work and dedication to patient during this unprecedented flu season. The OMA Council, which represents doctors from across the province, overwhelmingly passed a motion to express its thanks to Medical Officers of Health, physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals for their leadership.

23 Nov 2009

ASTMH symposium illustrates the need to generate new medicines for infectious diseases

An urgent need for new medicines to treat neglected infectious diseases in the developing world has prompted a growing number of collaborations among academic researchers, non-profit product development partnerships (PDPs), and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

23 Nov 2009

RSV found to cause more emergency department visits and hospitalizations than seasonal flu

Influenza, particularly H1N1, has understandably captured the attention of public health officials, the media and the public. However, an analysis from Children's Hospital Boston, based on patients seen in its emergency department (ED) during several recent flu seasons, shows that another virus - respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - takes a substantially greater disease toll among young children than does seasonal flu.

23 Nov 2009

Experiments explain factors behind common malarial symptoms

When people have malaria, they are infected with Plasmodium parasites, which enter the body from the saliva of a mosquito, infect cells in the liver, and then spread to red blood cells. Inside the blood cells, the parasites replicate and also begin to expose adhesive proteins on the cell surface that change the physical nature of the cells in the bloodstream.

23 Nov 2009

Disease/Infection News

Iowa State University's researcher develops and ships H1N1 vaccine for swine producers

Treatment rates for hepatitis C virus declining, say researchers

Study: Impaired oxidation in liver associated with progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Misconceptions about contraception contribute to lack of family-planning n Uganda

10 x '20 Initiative calls for global commitment to develop 10 new antibiotics by 2020

Antiviral therapy for hepatitis C appears to be declining in the U.S.; lack of diagnosis is primary barrier to treatment

Opinion: China forced abortions; U.S. work in Africa; foreign aid; Uganda legislation

New York Times magazine examines needle-exchange programs

H1N1 spreading eastward, WHO says

Guardian examines challenge of testing, treating patients with HIV/AIDS in Kenya

CDC: 'Beggining to see some declines in swine flu'

Augusta woman sues Fairbank Farms over E. coli infected ground beef

STD infections continue to rise among young people

Enrollment for ongoing phase 2b trial of RG7128 announced

ASP's French affiliate acquires Gloster Europe

OEPA reports substantial reduction of river blindness in six endemic countries

OMA praises health care workers for their hard work and dedication during flu season

ASTMH symposium illustrates the need to generate new medicines for infectious diseases

RSV found to cause more emergency department visits and hospitalizations than seasonal flu

Experiments explain factors behind common malarial symptoms

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering

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