Disease/Infection News

RSS

Report describes 2004 Norwalk virus outbreak

A review of measures taken to address a 2004 outbreak of the highly infectious Norwalk virus at The Johns Hopkins Hospital has provided the first solid documentation of expenses and efforts in the United States to stop the infection from spreading among patients, staff and visitors.

30 Aug 2007

High-risk behaviors among injection drug users in Afghanistan

In a report that is among the first to describe the prevalence of HIV and Hepatitis B and C viruses in Afghanistan, a researcher from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine voiced concerns that increasing injection drug use and accompanying high-risk behavior could lead to an HIV epidemic in Afghanistan.

29 Aug 2007

German bird flu outbreak could be more widespread than first suspected

Veterinary officials in Germany now believe the outbreak of bird flu on a duck farm in southern Germany was more widespread and of longer duration than was first suspected.

29 Aug 2007

Limited human-to-human spread of Avian-flu virus in Indonesia in 2006 confirmed

In the first systematic, statistical analysis of its kind, infectious-disease-modeling experts at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center confirm that the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in 2006 spread between a small number of people within a family in Indonesia.

28 Aug 2007

Animal model for dengue research

A mosquito-borne disease often known as "break-bone fever" has found a new enemy in a unique type of mouse.

28 Aug 2007

Academic comments on horse flu scare

We should not be shocked that equine influenza has emerged in Australia. What is surprising is that we kept it out for so long. The Australian thoroughbred breeding and racing industry has received huge financial benefits from globalisation, but this process carries enormous risks. Foremost is the risk of disease.

28 Aug 2007

Mars pet food recall over Salmonella

Another pet product has been recalled over fears it may be contaminated.

27 Aug 2007

Bird flu hits Germany, 160,000 geese slaughtered

Following an outbreak of bird flu at a farm in southern Germany 160,000 geese have been slaughtered and a three-kilometer exclusion zone has been set up around the farm.

27 Aug 2007

One more suspected death from bird flu in Bali

The death of another suspected bird flu patient has put health officials in Bali on a high alert amid fears of a wider outbreak.

27 Aug 2007

Impact of HIV in Zimbabwe

The impact of HIV in Zimbabwe since the early 1980s is explored in new research published this week in the journal PNAS.

26 Aug 2007

New understanding of Nipah virus

A collaborative team of scientists from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) here, and the Australian Animal Health Laboratory have demonstrated an important biological feature of the deadly Nipah virus that can infect and kill both animals and humans.

24 Aug 2007

Environmental tests help predict hospital-acquired Legionnaires' disease risk

A new study spearheaded by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has determined that environmental monitoring of institutional water systems can help to predict the risk of hospital-acquired Legionella pneumonia, better known as Legionnaires disease.

24 Aug 2007

Global public health security in the 21st century

More than at any previous time in history, global public health security depends on international cooperation and the willingness of all countries to act effectively in tackling new and emerging threats.

23 Aug 2007

WHO says more killer diseases like AIDS on their way

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned the world to expect a new killer disease to emerge in the next few years which will threaten the lives of millions.

23 Aug 2007

South African experts say food no substitute for medical drugs in AIDS and TB

A report by the Academy of Science of South Africa has stated that there is no evidence to support the theory that a healthy diet is a substitute for medical drugs when it comes to treating HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB).

22 Aug 2007

Bali hit by bird flu again

There has been another death from bird flu in Bali; this time the victim is a 28-year-old woman.

22 Aug 2007

Fruit bats the culprit in spreading Marburg virus

Scientists have found that fruit bats that roost in caves could be the culprits in the spread of the deadly Marburg virus.

22 Aug 2007

HIV denial in the Internet era

The Internet is serving as a fertile medium for "HIV denialists" to spread false ideas about HIV/AIDS, which could have terrible public health consequences, say scientists in a policy paper in PLoS Medicine.

22 Aug 2007

Premier forum on AIDS focuses on vaccine against HIV

An international conference on AIDS has gathered together over 900 global researchers, clinicians and specialists for the 2007 AIDS Vaccine Conference in Seattle.

21 Aug 2007

AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition receives $14 million from Gates Foundation

The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) announced today at the AIDS Vaccine 2007 Conference that it has received a five-year, $14 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to create a new international HIV Prevention Research Advocacy Network.

21 Aug 2007