Disease/Infection News

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Dealing with emerging diseases

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002 was a loud wake-up call for researchers studying infectious diseases.

16 May 2007

People with HIV who drop out of care do not live as long as those who remain under a doctor's treatment

While HIV is now a chronic or lifelong disease, it is one that typically strikes at a relatively young age. That makes the population different from those who have high blood pressure or adult-onset diabetes.

15 May 2007

West Nile virus case in court in Canada

Just as the first mosquitoes are appearing in parts of the United States carrying the West Nile virus, a court in Canada has ruled that an insurance company must pay a man compensation after he was bitten by a mosquito at work and developed the West Nile virus.

15 May 2007

Indonesia demands 'a fair go' for poor countries over bird flu vaccines

Indonesia has taken the lead in demanding that poor countries have equal access to bird flu vaccines.

15 May 2007

Bird flu strikes again in Indonesia - death toll now 76

Health officials say two sets of tests have confirmed the woman died of bird flu, she was hospitalised in Medan, North Sumatra on May 8th with fever and respiratory problems and died four days later.

15 May 2007

Health workers to get mumps booster in battle against the spread of the disease

The outbreak of mumps which is currently rife in parts of Canada has prompted Health officials to make 40,000 doses of a mumps booster available to health workers across Nova Scotia.

14 May 2007

Oral sex 'ups' the risk of throat cancer

According to scientists in the U.S. a virus contracted through oral sex is the cause of some throat cancers.

14 May 2007

New host species for avian influenza A virus (H5N1)

In a new study published online in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens, Dr. Vincent J. Munster, of Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, and colleagues identify new host species for avian influenza A virus (H5N1) and provide important information on the distinctions between the ecology and epidemiology of various global strains of the virus.

11 May 2007

Dealing with a flu pandemic in the UK

Giving local authorities responsibility for implementing pandemic flu plans may not be the best policy, says a senior public health doctor in this week's BMJ.

11 May 2007

Research shows that pigs get hepatitis E virus early enough to minimise the risk of human infection

The scenario humans need to worry about would occur if the infection rate in pigs drops. At low infection rates, there is actually a higher chance pigs will pass on HEV to humans at slaughter.

11 May 2007

Raynaud's disease review by Mayo Clinic Health Letter

There's a medical reason behind cold fingers and toes, when a chill seems to instantly turn extremities white.

10 May 2007

Project unites U.S., Singapore and Indonesia in the fight against bird flu

Indonesia the nation worst hit by bird flu is clearly struggling to cope with the deadly virus but has now joined with close neighbour Singapore to control the spread of the H5N1 virus.

9 May 2007

Experts explain China's mystery pig disease

According to media reports a mysterious disease has killed thousands of pigs in China's southern Guangdong province.

9 May 2007

Predicting the next pandemic

In planning for a future influenza pandemic, most experts agree that two things are known for certain, there will be another pandemic someday, and nobody can predict when.

9 May 2007

Hydrogel to tackle H5N1

Influenza virus H5N1, which caused the recent outbreak of avian flu, may have a new enemy.

9 May 2007

Spring has sprung and so has West Nile virus!

Its Springtime time again and the mosquito season is upon us and health officials are warning that the West Nile virus is out and about.

8 May 2007

Bird flu death toll climbs to 75 in Indonesia

Bird flu has claimed it's 75th victim in Indonesia with the death of a woman from the deadly virus on May 3rd.

7 May 2007

Face masks offer little protection from bird flu

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the mass wearing of surgical face masks would do little to reduce the rate of infection in the event of an influenza pandemic.

7 May 2007

Mumps makes a comeback Canada

Health officials in Canada are concerned about an outbreak of mumps which appears to be spreading.

7 May 2007

Oral vaccine prevents prion disease in mice

An oral vaccine can prevent mice from developing a brain disease similar to mad cow disease, according to research presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting in Boston.

4 May 2007