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Get vaccinated against both H1N1 flu and the seasonal flu, advises Chief Nurse of the American Red Cross

With the first doses of the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine being shipped and seasonal flu shots underway, people should be getting vaccinations when they can for these flu viruses, said Sharon Stanley, Chief Nurse of the American Red Cross.

7 Oct 2009

PSI-879 nominated as second development candidate for treating HCV infection

Pharmasset, Inc. announced today the nomination of PSI-352879 (PSI-879) as a second development candidate from two series of purine analogs for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

7 Oct 2009

AARP recommends older adults to get seasonal flu vaccination this year

With the thermometer dropping and the onset of flu season upon us, AARP is reaching out to their membership and the public to encourage them to get a seasonal flu vaccine this year.

7 Oct 2009

Phase 2 clinical study results of TOPICA's luliconazole for athlete's foot announced

TOPICA Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held biotechnology company, today announced positive results from its Phase 2 clinical study evaluating luliconazole, one of the most potent and broad spectrum topical antifungal agents, in patients with tinea pedis (athlete's foot). The study was designed to assess the effectiveness of 1% luliconazole cream applied once daily for 14 days compared with once daily for 28 days.

6 Oct 2009

Hepatitis B Foundation calls for consistent monitoring and referral of HBV infected children

An expert panel of nationally recognized pediatric liver specialists convened by the Hepatitis B Foundation is calling for more consistent monitoring and referral of children chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The panel's recommendations for pediatricians and other primary care practitioners stress the need for routine monitoring of children with chronic HBV infections, and timely consultation with a pediatric liver specialist.

6 Oct 2009

Researchers to investigate Buruli ulcer outbreaks

Knowing what causes a disease may not make it easier to control and contain infection, but understanding how humans become infected and where the pathogens live may improve control.

6 Oct 2009

HIV prevalence high among African Americans

HIV prevalence among African Americans is ten times greater than the prevalence among whites. This racial disparity in HIV prevalence has persisted in the face of both governmental and private actions, involving many billions of dollars, to combat HIV.

6 Oct 2009

Emergency preparedness and business continuity planning to prevent and manage H1N1 virus

This fall the CDC estimates that upwards of 50 percent of Americans could come down with the H1N1 virus, killing as many as 1.2 million people. Additionally, there are estimates that many companies will experience between 30-50 percent absenteeism due to employee illness.

6 Oct 2009

Key defence mechanism used by the immune system against Listeria identified

A team of University of British Columbia microbiologists has identified a key defence mechanism used by the immune system against Listeria with strong implications for the future development of vaccines.

6 Oct 2009

NIAID's grant to VBI for biomedical research on infectious diseases

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded a five-year, $27,670,448 contract to the CyberInfrastructure Group (CIG) of the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech to support the biomedical research community's work on infectious diseases.

6 Oct 2009

Majority of Europeans not concerned about H1N1

Three quarters of European people surveyed between the 30th April and 6th May 2009 said they were either not at all concerned or only a little concerned about swine flu.

6 Oct 2009

HIV prevalence among African Americans is ten times greater than the prevalence among whites

6 Oct 2009

New York health workers protest H1N1 vaccine mandate

The first doses of H1N1 vaccines are expected to be released this week and a controversy brews as health workers protest a flu vaccine mandate. CBS News reports that health care workers in New York's capital "vowed to fight an unprecedented order from state health officials: a requirement for every health care worker to get seasonal and H1N1 flu shots or face the possibility of being fired."

6 Oct 2009

U.N. officials highlight need for vaccine assistance to poor countries

U.N. officials on Sunday said that the H1N1 (swine flu) virus had arrived in poorer countries, highlighting a growing need for financial assistance and H1N1 vaccines for such regions, SAPA/News24.com reports.

6 Oct 2009

Research reveals that 52% Americans are not worried about H1N1 virus and its impact

As the first recipients of the H1N1 vaccine are vaccinated, more than half of Americans surveyed (52 percent) do not believe the H1N1 virus, or Swine Flu, will have a major impact in the United States compared to 44 percent who believe it will, according to the results of a new Deloitte Center for Health Solutions survey.

6 Oct 2009

BBC examines 'huge imbalance' between funding for HIV/AIDS, other health needs in Uganda

The BBC examines the balance between funding for HIV/AIDS and for the broader health system and other diseases in Uganda.

6 Oct 2009

News outlets examines health impact of disasters in Indonesia, Samoa, Philippines

In Indonesia, "[r]escue workers called off the search Monday for life under the rubble left by a massive earthquake, focusing instead on bringing aid to survivors," the Agence France-Presse reports. "The United Nations has said at least 1,100 people were killed in the disaster, but estimates of the final toll range up to 5,000. The official toll stood at 650 dead and 672 missing, according to the health ministry," the news service writes (Belford, 10/5).

6 Oct 2009

MSF calls on drug companies to pool HIV patents

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) recently launched an e-mail campaign calling on nine of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to "release their patents on specific HIV drugs into a collective pool that will increase access and affordability to treatment in developing countries," Inter Press Service reports (Borde, 10/1).

5 Oct 2009

Also in Global Health news: World Bank budget concerns; Ethiopia prepares for malaria surge; malnutrition in Yemen; malaria prevention in Africa

Before the start of the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund World Bank on Friday, World Bank President Robert Zoellick warned that the international lender expects to "face serious constraints" by the middle of next year unless developed nations provide the bank with more resources, the Associated Press reports.

5 Oct 2009

AVI BioPharma receives $11.5M DTRA fund to develop AVI-7012 for treating Junin virus infection

AVI BioPharma, Inc. a developer of RNA-based drugs, announced today that it has received expanded contract funding of approximately $11.5 million from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA) Transformational Medical Technologies Initiative (TMTI) to support development of the Investigational New Drug (IND) data package for its candidate drug, AVI-7012, to treat Junin virus infection.

5 Oct 2009

Disease/Infection News

Get vaccinated against both H1N1 flu and the seasonal flu, advises Chief Nurse of the American Red Cross

PSI-879 nominated as second development candidate for treating HCV infection

AARP recommends older adults to get seasonal flu vaccination this year

Phase 2 clinical study results of TOPICA's luliconazole for athlete's foot announced

Hepatitis B Foundation calls for consistent monitoring and referral of HBV infected children

Researchers to investigate Buruli ulcer outbreaks

HIV prevalence high among African Americans

Emergency preparedness and business continuity planning to prevent and manage H1N1 virus

Key defence mechanism used by the immune system against Listeria identified

NIAID's grant to VBI for biomedical research on infectious diseases

Majority of Europeans not concerned about H1N1

HIV prevalence among African Americans is ten times greater than the prevalence among whites

New York health workers protest H1N1 vaccine mandate

U.N. officials highlight need for vaccine assistance to poor countries

Research reveals that 52% Americans are not worried about H1N1 virus and its impact

BBC examines 'huge imbalance' between funding for HIV/AIDS, other health needs in Uganda

News outlets examines health impact of disasters in Indonesia, Samoa, Philippines

MSF calls on drug companies to pool HIV patents

Also in Global Health news: World Bank budget concerns; Ethiopia prepares for malaria surge; malnutrition in Yemen; malaria prevention in Africa

AVI BioPharma receives $11.5M DTRA fund to develop AVI-7012 for treating Junin virus infection

Exploring the nanoscale: How AFM is transforming cosmetic science

Innovating Texture and Culture in Plant-Based Foods

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

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