Disease/Infection News

RSS

New bird flu vaccine promises to offer cross-protection

Early clinical trials of a new bird flu vaccine have produced promising results and a phase 3 trial of the cell-based H5N1 flu vaccine is expected to take place early next year.

4 Oct 2006

Another bird flu outbreak in China

China's Ministry of Agriculture says scientists have confirmed an outbreak of bird flu has killed 1,000 domestic poultry in a village in China's northwest.

4 Oct 2006

Illinois wild bird samples undergo additional testing for bird flu

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) have announced a detection of the H5 and N1 avian influenza subtypes in samples from wild, migratory Green-winged Teals in Illinois.

3 Oct 2006

Indonesia confirms 69th human case of bird flu

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed the country's 69th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

3 Oct 2006

Delhi on the verge of a dengue fever epidemic

Diseases such as dengue and malaria are common in the monsoon season and the Indian capital, Delhi appears to be in the grip of a likely epidemic of dengue fever.

3 Oct 2006

Flu jab not available in the UK for those most vulnerable

There are fears in the UK that people who are vulnerable to flu infections may well have to wait for their annual injection this season.

2 Oct 2006

Dengue epidemic threatens India's capital

An outbreak of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) in Delhi, India has authorities concerned that they may be seeing the start of an epidemic.

2 Oct 2006

Sydney bird flu suspect may be just another drug mule

According to reports the man who triggered a bird flu scare in Sydney after becoming ill on a flight from Vietnam may have been a drug courier.

28 Sep 2006

Bird flu back again in Egypt

The Egyptian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have confirmed that another case of avian flu in birds has been found in the country.

28 Sep 2006

WHO influenza pandemic task force meets for first time

The World Health Organization (WHO) Influenza Pandemic Task Force (IPTF) met for the first time on 25 September at WHO Headquarters in Geneva.

28 Sep 2006

Bird flu strikes again in Thailand

The death of a 59-year-old farmer in northeastern Thailand last month has taken the countries death toll from bird-flu to 17 since late 2003 and is the third death this year.

27 Sep 2006

Spinach in Pennsylvania found to have E. Coli

A sample of fresh bagged spinach containing the E. coli bacteria O157:H7, responsible for the latest outbreak has now been discovered in Pennsylvania.

27 Sep 2006

Laura Bush becoming 'public face' of U.S. commitment to fight HIV/AIDS

First lady Laura Bush is becoming the "public face" of the U.S. government commitment to fight HIV/AIDS and address other humanitarian and social issues, the Washington Post reports.

26 Sep 2006

Companies push condom use, STI messages on college campuses to promote safer-sex

The New York Times on Sunday examined the campaigns conducted by the condom industry on college campuses nationwide that aim to promote condom use and safer-sex messages in an effort to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

26 Sep 2006

Washington DC's HIV prevalence more than twice national average

Initial results from a Washington, D.C., campaign to have all residents tested for HIV show that HIV prevalence in the city is more than twice the nation's average, according to results released Tuesday during a meeting of the Mayor's Task Force on HIV and AIDS, the Washington Post reports.

26 Sep 2006

Indian not-for-profit organization establishes school for HIV-positive children

The not-for-profit organization Karunalayam last week opened a school in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh that plans to educate exclusively HIV-positive children who have been turned away by other schools, officials said Thursday, AFP/Today Online reports.

26 Sep 2006

HIV prevalence in Ethiopia lower than expected

HIV prevalence in Ethiopia is lower than expected, according to results of the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2005, which was at the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa, the Daily Monitor/AllAfrica.com reports.

26 Sep 2006

Kashmir faces unique challenges in HIV/AIDS fight

Kashmir, which is controlled by India in the south and Pakistan in the north, faces many unique challenges in the fight against HIV/AIDS, IANS/DailyIndia.com reports. According to IANS/DailyIndia.com, there are 745 reported HIV cases in Kashmir; however, unofficial estimates put the number at 25,000.

26 Sep 2006

New CDC HIV testing recommendations could compromise patients' civil rights

CDC's revised recommendations on HIV testing in the U.S. -- that say HIV tests should become a routine part of medical care for residents ages 13 to 64 and that requirements for written consent and pretest counseling should be dropped -- could harm the health and civil rights of people who receive the tests, the American Civil Liberties Union said in a release on Thursday, CQ HealthBeat reports.

26 Sep 2006

Contaminated spinach products recalled

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says two more companies have recalled their products, because they may contain spinach linked to a food poisoning outbreak, which has caused serious illness and at least one death.

25 Sep 2006