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Pregnant women unsure about getting H1N1 flu shot, shows new survey

Despite majorities expressing concern about getting the novel H1N1 (or swine) flu this year, only about one in four pregnant women or new mothers plan to get the H1N1 flu shot, according to findings from a new survey conducted on behalf of HealthyWomen by Harris Interactive.

24 Oct 2009

Recent releases in Global Health

"The spread of dengue virus throughout the tropics represents a major, rapidly growing public health problem with an estimated 2.5 billion people at risk of dengue fever and the life-threatening disease, severe dengue," write the authors of a Lancet Infectious Diseases review that examines what is known about the virus and progress in the development of a dengue vaccine (Webster et. al, 11/09).

24 Oct 2009

Pennsylvania allocated 566,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine

The Department of Health today announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, has allocated more than 566,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine to Pennsylvania. While delays in vaccine production have occurred, the department is placing orders as soon as vaccine is allocated to ensure it reaches Pennsylvania residents as quickly as possible.

24 Oct 2009

Ontario doctors urge employers not to ask sick note from a physician for employees taking leave this flu season

In advance of what is shaping up to be an unprecedented flu season, Ontario's doctors are encouraging employers to reconsider asking their employees for a sick note from a physician because of an absence from work.

24 Oct 2009

E. coli outbreak highlights the importance of food safety

Two students from Lincoln Middle School in Lincoln, Rhode Island were hospitalized several days after a field trip to Camp Bournedale in Plymouth, Massachusetts earlier this month. Several other students were also sickened.

24 Oct 2009

FDA issues emergency use authorization for intravenous antiviral drug peramivir in H1N1 patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that, in response to a request from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational antiviral drug peramivir intravenous (IV) in certain adult and pediatric patients with confirmed or suspected 2009 H1N1 influenza infection who are admitted to a hospital.

24 Oct 2009

Philippines calls for help to address disease outbreak in storms' aftermath

The WHO on Thursday said the Philippines is requesting "international help to fight a deadly outbreak of an infectious disease following two devastating tropical storms," Agence France-Presse reports. Parts of Manila, which are still flooded almost four weeks after Tropical Storm Ketsana hit, are experiencing an outbreak of the bacterial infection, leptospirosis (10/22).

24 Oct 2009

Study links urogenital birth defects with DDT

Women who lived in villages sprayed with DDT to reduce malaria gave birth to 33 per cent more baby boys with urogenital birth defects (UGBD) between 2004 and 2006 than women in unsprayed villages, according to research published online by the UK-based urology journal BJUI.

24 Oct 2009

Low adiponectin levels may increase sepsis related complications

A new Canadian study has found that lower-than-normal levels of a naturally-occurring fat hormone may increase the risk of death from sepsis-an overwhelming infection of the blood which claims thousands of lives each year.

24 Oct 2009

Media examines U.S., Mexico H1N1 vaccine campaigns, health effects of handwashing in Bolivia

The Washington Post examines H1N1 vaccine supplies across the U.S.: "With only a fraction of the tens of millions of doses of vaccine that authorities predicted would be available arriving in states, cities and towns, public health officials who spent months planning for a massive immunization program are instead scrambling to parcel out their limited supply of nasal sprays and shots," the newspaper writes.

24 Oct 2009

Dr. Anthony Falcon: We're facing a catastrophic situation on the border

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jessica Marcy talks with Dr. Antonio Falcon, a physician in the border town of Rio Grande City, Texas. He explained his concern "about several health threats facing border communities, including tuberculosis, diabetes, obesity and the H1N1 virus that causes swine flu."

24 Oct 2009

Congress reauthorizes Ryan White Care Act - funding for HIV/AIDS

The New York Times: "The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed legislation allocating billions of dollars in federal money for the treatment of HIV and AIDS. By a vote of 408-9, the House reauthorized the Ryan White Care Act, first enacted in 1990 and named for the Indiana teenager who died of AIDS. The Senate has already passed the bill by unanimous consent."

24 Oct 2009

HHS funds $17M for fight against costly and dangerous health care-associated infections

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the award of $17 million to fund projects to fight costly and dangerous health care-associated infections, or HAIs.

24 Oct 2009

Campaign to end pediatric HIV/AIDS launched in Africa

At the launch of the Campaign to End Pediatric HIV/AIDS (CEPA) on Thursday, advocate Graca Machel urged African leaders to redirect state spending to prevent and treat HIV infections among women and children, Agence France-Presse reports.

24 Oct 2009

Strict adherence in taking HIV medication; extremely difficult for many individuals

Highly active antiretroviral therapy has increased the longevity and quality of life for people living with human immunodeficiency virus. But it requires strict adherence in taking the medicine, something that is extremely difficult for many individuals to do.

23 Oct 2009

Swine flu concern greater among less educated and low income people

Are Americans concerned about swine flu? About one-third say they are, one-third say they're not, and one-third say, well, maybe a little. Concern is greater among people with lower incomes and less education.

23 Oct 2009

Findings may lead to new vaccine strategies for pulmonary tularemia

Immunologists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and the have found a unique quirk in the way the immune system fends off bacteria called Francisella tularensis, which could lead to vaccines that are better able to prevent tularemia infection of the lungs. Their findings were published today in the early, online version of Immunity.

23 Oct 2009

Disease/Infection News

Pregnant women unsure about getting H1N1 flu shot, shows new survey

Recent releases in Global Health

Pennsylvania allocated 566,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine

Ontario doctors urge employers not to ask sick note from a physician for employees taking leave this flu season

E. coli outbreak highlights the importance of food safety

FDA issues emergency use authorization for intravenous antiviral drug peramivir in H1N1 patients

Philippines calls for help to address disease outbreak in storms' aftermath

Study links urogenital birth defects with DDT

Low adiponectin levels may increase sepsis related complications

Media examines U.S., Mexico H1N1 vaccine campaigns, health effects of handwashing in Bolivia

Dr. Anthony Falcon: We're facing a catastrophic situation on the border

Congress reauthorizes Ryan White Care Act - funding for HIV/AIDS

HHS funds $17M for fight against costly and dangerous health care-associated infections

Campaign to end pediatric HIV/AIDS launched in Africa

Strict adherence in taking HIV medication; extremely difficult for many individuals

Swine flu concern greater among less educated and low income people

Findings may lead to new vaccine strategies for pulmonary tularemia

ISHLT Infectious Disease Council issues new H1N1 advisory for cardiothoracic transplantation programs

Practical guidance for cardiothoracic transplant programs in view of H1N1 flu pandemic

Brown University researchers find no link between overlapping sexual partners and the HIV epidemic in Africa

Evolving spectrophotometry for modern biopharma workflows

Scaling B-cell cloning workflows for antibody development

Fluidics in Modern Healthcare & Medical Device Innovation

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