Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

New cellular targets for HIV drug development

Focusing HIV drug development on immune cells called macrophages instead of traditionally targeted T cells could bring us closer to eradicating the disease, according to new research from University of Florida and five other institutions.

27 May 2009

Australian swine flu toll climbs but expert says threat is over-hyped

According to the World Health Organisation's latest update, # 39, as of the 26th of May the latest figures in the influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak are 12,954 confirmed cases in 46 countries, including 92 deaths.

26 May 2009

Australian scientist finds two new animal viruses

An Australian scientist has discovered two new animal viruses, one in cattle and the other in mosquitoes - the unknown viruses were found in isolated regions of northern Australia - neither of the viruses cause disease in livestock.

26 May 2009

Arthritis drug Abatacept may be effective in fighting the flu

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have found that an approved drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis reduces severe illness and death in mice exposed to the Influenza A virus. Their findings suggest that tempering the response of the body's immune system to influenza infection may alleviate some of the more severe symptoms and even reduce mortality from this virus.

26 May 2009

More funding urged for yellow fever vaccine stockpile

The International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Yellow Fever Vaccine Provision is warning that the global emergency stockpile of yellow fever vaccine for the world's most vulnerable populations in Africa is under threat.

26 May 2009

ImmunoVaccine Technologies partners with FIT Biotech to advance therapeutic HIV vaccine

ImmunoVaccine Technologies Inc. (IVT), a Canadian vaccine development company, announced a research partnership with FIT Biotech, a Finland-based , clinical stage company that develops DNA vaccines. This research will formulate FIT Biotech's GTU MultiHIV DNA plasmid with IVT's DepoVax vaccine delivery system to advance a therapeutic HIV vaccine.

26 May 2009

Nervous system may be culprit in Pompe disease

Brain may win out over brawn as the primary cause of breathing problems in children with a severe form of muscular dystrophy known as Pompe disease.

25 May 2009

Sanofi Pasteur receives U.S. Government order to produce new influenza A(H1N1) vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur announced today it has received the first of what is expected to be a series of orders from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to commence production of a vaccine to help protect against the new influenza A(H1N1) virus.

25 May 2009

Researchers unlock mystery of potentially fatal reaction to smallpox vaccine

Researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have pinpointed the cellular defect that increases the likelihood, among eczema sufferers, of developing eczema vaccinatum, a severe and potentially fatal reaction to the smallpox vaccine.

25 May 2009

Australian H1N1 flu toll climbs to 17

The latest update, # 37, from the World Health Organisation on the influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak says as of the 23rd of May, 43 countries have now officially reported 12,022 cases, including 86 deaths.

24 May 2009

HHS directs $1 billion towards commercial-scale production of a candidate vaccine for H1N1

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced that the department will take important steps necessary to prepare for potential commercial-scale production of a candidate vaccine for the novel Influenza A ( H1N1).

24 May 2009

Scientists map sequence mutations of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus

In just two weeks from the time the first patient virus samples were made available, Singapore scientists report an evolutionary analysis of a critical protein produced by the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus strain.

22 May 2009

Majority of HIV-positive pregnant women in developing world lack access to PMTCT services, report says

Two-thirds of HIV-positive pregnant women in the developing world do not have access to treatment to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, which could lead to 370,000 new HIV cases annually among infants, according to a study released Thursday by the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition, Bloomberg reports (Chase, Bloomberg, 5/21).

22 May 2009

Australia's swine flu toll rising

Australia's 10th confirmed case of influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) has appeared in Adelaide in South Australia - the first case for that state.

22 May 2009

62nd World Health Assembly closes with resolutions on public health

The 62nd World Health Assembly, which brought together health ministers and senior health officials from WHO's Member States, closed today with the adoption of resolutions on a variety of global health issues including primary health care, the prevention and control of multidrug- resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, public health, innovation and intellectual property and pandemic influenza preparedness. The Health Assembly also passed the Programme Budget for 2010 -2011.

22 May 2009

Tamed virus wipes out cancer safely

Cancer Research UK scientists have tamed a virus so that it attacks and destroys cancer cells but does not harm healthy cells, according to a paper published in PLoS Pathogens, today.

22 May 2009

Chemical found in green tea shows promise as low-cost intervention against sexual HIV transmission,

A chemical found in green tea might be an effective tool against the sexual transmission of HIV, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Heidelberg in Germany and published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, AFP/Google.com reports.

22 May 2009

HIV transmission in Europe occurs primarily in vacation destinations

HIV in Europe is transmitted primarily in vacation destinations, according to a study published recently in the journal Retrovirology, the PA/Google.com reports.

22 May 2009

Governments should increase efforts to reduce stigma, improve access to HIV services among MSM, UNAIDS Executive Director Sidibe says

Governments worldwide should take action to eliminate stigma and discrimination against men who have sex with men, women who have sex with women and transgender people and improve their access to HIV services, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe said recently, the Stabroek News reports.

20 May 2009

Junk DNA may not be so ‘junky’ after all

Scientists have called it "junk DNA." They have long been perplexed by these extensive strands of genetic material that dominate the genome but seem to lack specific functions. Why would nature force the genome to carry so much excess baggage?

20 May 2009