Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

VaxInnate starts Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate VAX2012Q for prevention of seasonal influenza

VaxInnate Corporation today announced that enrollment has commenced in a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate VAX2012Q, a recombinant quadrivalent vaccine in development for the prevention of seasonal influenza. VaxInnate is a biotechnology firm pioneering a breakthrough technology platform for the development of novel vaccines.

20 Mar 2014

China manages to halve TB prevalence in 20 years

Over the last 20 years, China has more than halved its tuberculosis (TB) prevalence, with rates falling from 170 to 59 per 100 000 population. This unrivalled success has been driven by a massive scale-up of the directly observed, short-course (DOTS) strategy, from half the population in the 1990s to the entire country after 2000, according to findings from a 20-year-long analysis of national survey data, published in The Lancet.

19 Mar 2014

Study shows only 23% of seasonal and pandemic flu caused symptoms

Around 1 in 5 of the population were infected in both recent outbreaks of seasonal flu and the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, but just 23% of these infections caused symptoms, and only 17% of people were ill enough to consult their doctor.

17 Mar 2014

Teen researcher wins top award from Intel Foundation for research on potential drugs to treat influenza

From new cancer treatments to an exploration of how technology affects the adolescent brain, the innovative research of America's future scientists, engineers and inventors took center stage in the nation's capital today.

12 Mar 2014

Studies identify gene signals involved with BMI and their connection to: heart disease, diabetes

Two recent genetic studies expand the list of genes involved with body fat and body mass index, and their connection to major Western health problems: heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

5 Mar 2014

Two genetic studies expand list of genes connected to major Western health problems

Two recent genetic studies expand the list of genes involved with body fat and body mass index, and their connection to major Western health problems: heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. One study showed that higher body mass index (BMI) caused harmful effects on the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and inflammation, while another study found gene signals linked to higher levels of body fat metrics, without showing causality.

5 Mar 2014

Gentiva Health Services' total net revenues increase 14% to $486.1 million in Q4 2013

Gentiva Health Services, Inc., one of the largest providers of home health, hospice and community care services in the United States, today reported fourth quarter and full-year 2013 results.

4 Mar 2014

Scientists develop new anti-viral drugs that may be effective against flu virus

New analysis of the influenza A virus by scientists at the University of Hertfordshire shows potential for developing new anti-viral drugs which are more likely to be universally effective against the flu virus originating from avian, swine or human virus strains.

28 Feb 2014

Study: Direct camel-to-human transmission of MERS virus is possible in Saudi Arabia

An estimated three-quarters of camels recently surveyed in Saudi Arabia have evidence of infection with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), the virus responsible for human cases of MERS.

27 Feb 2014

Origin of deadly human malaria parasite linked to primates in Africa, not Asia

An international team of scientists has traced the origin of Plasmodium vivax, the second-worst malaria parasite of humans, to Africa, according to a study published this week in Nature Communications.

25 Feb 2014

CDC report reveals that younger age group is mostly hit by flu this season

This influenza season was particularly hard on younger- and middle-age adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in today's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

21 Feb 2014

Samoa Island harbors a global health mystery that could predict obesity crisis

The South Pacific archipelago of Samoa and American Samoa harbors a global health mystery that may seem both remote and extreme but could foretell trends in obesity and related conditions across much of the developing world.

18 Feb 2014

Upstream interventions may provide options to contain emerging pathogens at source

While many endemic infectious diseases of humans have been largely contained, new microbes continue to emerge to threaten human and animal health.

18 Feb 2014

Experts sound alarm about the dangers of industrial chemicals on children’s health

In a Review published in The Lancet Neurology, two of the world’s leading experts on the link between environment and children’s health are sounding the alarm on the dangers of industrial chemicals. They are calling on countries to transform their chemical risk-assessment procedures in order to protect children from everyday toxins that may be causing a global “silent epidemic” of brain development disorders.

18 Feb 2014

Study provides comprehensive analysis of the evolutionary relationships of influenza virus

A new study reconstructing the evolutionary tree of flu viruses challenges conventional wisdom and solves some of the mysteries surrounding flu outbreaks of historical significance.

17 Feb 2014

Unvaccinated flu patients need more intensive care

A snapshot of patients who required care at Duke University Hospital during this year's flu season shows that those who had not been vaccinated had severe cases and needed the most intensive treatment.

11 Feb 2014

New study tracks spread of H5N1 variant in Egypt recently identified as major epicenter for virus

Since its first identification in Asia, highly pathogenic avian influenza-H5N1-has caused significant alarm in the scientific community. While the virus' primary target is birds-tens of millions have already died from it-it is capable of infecting mammals, including humans, causing serious illness and a frightening rate of mortality.

10 Feb 2014

Addressing antibiotic resistance: an interview with Professor Otto Cars, Uppsala University, Sweden

Antibiotic resistance is a consequence of antibiotic use. Bacteria adapt to the threat of antibiotics using mechanisms to overcome the drug. These bacteria, which we call resistant bacteria, then survive.

3 Feb 2014

Intelsius introduces revisions to PharmaTherm line of solutions

Intelsius, a DGP company, a designer, manufacturer and distributor of temperature-controlled packaging solutions, introduced revisions to its PharmaTherm™ line of solutions to pharmaceutical industry professionals today at the 13th Annual Cool Chain Europe Summit in Luxembourg.

28 Jan 2014

Use of fever-reducing drugs may lead to tens of thousands more influenza cases

Contrary to popular belief, fever-reducing medication may inadvertently cause more harm than good. New research from McMaster University has discovered that the widespread use of medications that contain fever-reducing drugs may lead to tens of thousands more influenza cases, and more than a thousand deaths attributable to influenza, each year across North America.

22 Jan 2014

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

VaxInnate starts Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate VAX2012Q for prevention of seasonal influenza

China manages to halve TB prevalence in 20 years

Study shows only 23% of seasonal and pandemic flu caused symptoms

Teen researcher wins top award from Intel Foundation for research on potential drugs to treat influenza

Studies identify gene signals involved with BMI and their connection to: heart disease, diabetes

Two genetic studies expand list of genes connected to major Western health problems

Gentiva Health Services' total net revenues increase 14% to $486.1 million in Q4 2013

Scientists develop new anti-viral drugs that may be effective against flu virus

Study: Direct camel-to-human transmission of MERS virus is possible in Saudi Arabia

Origin of deadly human malaria parasite linked to primates in Africa, not Asia

CDC report reveals that younger age group is mostly hit by flu this season

Samoa Island harbors a global health mystery that could predict obesity crisis

Upstream interventions may provide options to contain emerging pathogens at source

Experts sound alarm about the dangers of industrial chemicals on children’s health

Study provides comprehensive analysis of the evolutionary relationships of influenza virus

Unvaccinated flu patients need more intensive care

New study tracks spread of H5N1 variant in Egypt recently identified as major epicenter for virus

Addressing antibiotic resistance: an interview with Professor Otto Cars, Uppsala University, Sweden

Intelsius introduces revisions to PharmaTherm line of solutions

Use of fever-reducing drugs may lead to tens of thousands more influenza cases

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