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.

No more needles for vaccines – a two minute Nanopatch may suffice, say researchers

Vaccines have been associated with painful injections for a very long time. In a new and important discovery researchers have developed special ‘nano patches’ that can deliver vaccines without needles in just two minutes using 100 times less dose than used conventionally.

22 Apr 2010

Test shows efficacy of avian antibodies against H5N1 and H1N1 influenza in mice

Scientists have discovered for the first time that antibodies in common eggs laid by hens vaccinated against the H5N1 virus can potentially prevent a possible H5N1 pandemic, raising the possibility that the same principle could be applied to the current H1N1 influenza pandemic.

21 Apr 2010

Pregnant women face increased risk of death from H1N1; early antiviral treatment associated with fewer complications

Pregnant women had a disproportionately higher risk of death due to 2009 influenza A(H1N1) in the U.S., and early antiviral treatment appeared to be associated with fewer admissions to an ICU and fewer deaths, according to a study in the April 21 issue of JAMA.

21 Apr 2010

NanoBio to develop intranasal vaccine for HBV

NanoBio® Corporation today announced an initiative to develop an intranasal vaccine for the treatment of hepatitis B (HBV). NanoBio and the University of Michigan's, Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences received funding through a Phase 1 Technology Transfer (STTR) award by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to evaluate a potential therapeutic intranasal vaccine for the treatment of hepatitis B in patients.

20 Apr 2010

Avian flu's endurance in 5 countries poses global threat to human health, FAO official says

Though the world has made "great strides" in eliminating H5N1 (avian flu) from poultry since the "peak of its outbreak in 2006" in 63 countries, the virus persists in Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Indonesia and Vietnam, VOA News reports (DeCapua, 4/16).

20 Apr 2010

UDH to participate in Abbott's new PLEX-ID BPEP

Abbott today announced that the Utah Department of Health is one of five sites in the United States to participate in Abbott's new PLEX-ID Biopreparedness Evaluation Program, which involves Abbott, the Association of Public Health Laboratories and five state public health labs.

16 Apr 2010

First meeting of WHO H1N1 response probe concludes

The first meeting of external experts tasked with reviewing the WHO's handling of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus came to a close Wednesday, with health leaders maintaining it was still too early to declare the pandemic over, Agence France-Presse reports.

16 Apr 2010

Study finds variation in H1N1 infection risks and antibody levels: JAMA

An analysis of blood samples taken before, during and after an epidemic wave of influenza A(H1N1) in Singapore in 2009 finds variation in infection risks and antibody levels, with younger age groups and military personnel having higher infection rates than other groups, according to a study in the April 14 issue of JAMA.

15 Apr 2010

WHO official says agency struggled to find 'right tempo' for release of H1N1 information

The rapid spread of information via the Internet "had a disruptive impact on the handling of the flu pandemic by fanning speculation and rumours," WHO officials said Tuesday on day two of a three-day meeting of external experts tasked with evaluating the WHO's handling of H1N1 (swine flu), Agence France-Presse reports.

15 Apr 2010

Opinions: Health and living conditions; H1N1, one year later; global water shortages

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford write in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution opinion piece about the need to "address the constant crisis families face daily in deplorable living conditions."

15 Apr 2010

WHO discusses shortcomings of its H1N1 response

Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's top influenza expert, on Monday said the organization did not effectively communicate the uncertainties of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, which led to confusion worldwide, Reuters reports.

15 Apr 2010

Swine flu shots important before peak season, say experts

According to reports only 13% of the adult population in Singapore has a natural immunity to H1N1 influenza or influenza A. Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) clinical director Leo Yee Sin led this research and emphasized on the importance of vaccinations with the new three in one vaccines in case of a return of the disease.

15 Apr 2010

Opinions divided on swine flu fear

According to health experts the swine flu pandemic is far from over and remains a threat to the population, especially the young. John Mackenzie, the Australian who heads the World Health Organization’s independent but secretive Emergency Committee said in a statement on Wednesday, “This is just as severe as we saw in 1957 and 1968, with one major difference. We are not seeing deaths in the elderly but we are seeing them in a more important group of the population, healthy young adults… It is much more severe than people tend to talk about.”

15 Apr 2010

The EMBO Meeting 2010: Over 120 researchers to present

More than 120 leading researchers from across the molecular life sciences will speak at The EMBO Meeting 2010 - the second annual life sciences conference to be organized by the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and held in Barcelona from 4 - 7 September 2010.

13 Apr 2010

Drug boosting production of immune system protein worsens TB

An experimental drug that boosts production of the immune system protein interferon worsens tuberculosis (TB) in mice, according to scientists from the National Institutes of Health. The drug acts indirectly by drawing certain immune cells, in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) bacteria thrive, to the lungs. The findings may have potential implications for the care of people infected with TB, the authors note. The research is reported in the May 3 issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation, now available online.

13 Apr 2010

Experts begin probe of WHO's response to H1N1

Health experts on Monday began a probe of how the WHO responded to the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic "nearly a year after global alarm was raised over the new swine flu strain," Agence France-Presse reports (Capella, 4/12).

13 Apr 2010

Automated UV radiation helps decontaminate healthcare-associated pathogens

Attendees of the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infection were offered a record 37 presentations on the critical role of contaminated environmental surfaces in the transmission of pathogens in healthcare settings.

12 Apr 2010

Results of Phase I ThermoDox dose escalation trial to be discussed in a press conference

Celsion Corporation today announced that Dr. Ronnie T.P. Poon from the University of Hong Kong and lead principal investigator for the Asia Pacific region of the Phase I ThermoDox dose escalation trial will hold a press conference on Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 10:30 AM HKT (Wednesday, April 14, 2010 10:30 PM ET) to discuss the long-term follow-up of patients treated from April 2006 to December 2006.

12 Apr 2010

RNAO announces winners of 2010 Awards for Excellence in Health-Care Reporting

The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario is pleased to announce the recipients of this year's Awards for Excellence in Health-Care Reporting.

9 Apr 2010

Has the NHS procured too many swine flu shots?

Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) has nearly 34 million unused swine flu vaccines at present due to a drop in the number of cases and these vaccinations. A total 44 million shots were procured. 3.8 million of these unused shots will be sent to Africa via the World Health Organization to help them. Of the rest, 10.6m is already with GPs who will be ready to act if more people entitled to the jab come forward. But the remaining 23.6m will be held in reserve.

7 Apr 2010

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

No more needles for vaccines – a two minute Nanopatch may suffice, say researchers

Test shows efficacy of avian antibodies against H5N1 and H1N1 influenza in mice

Pregnant women face increased risk of death from H1N1; early antiviral treatment associated with fewer complications

NanoBio to develop intranasal vaccine for HBV

Avian flu's endurance in 5 countries poses global threat to human health, FAO official says

UDH to participate in Abbott's new PLEX-ID BPEP

First meeting of WHO H1N1 response probe concludes

Study finds variation in H1N1 infection risks and antibody levels: JAMA

WHO official says agency struggled to find 'right tempo' for release of H1N1 information

Opinions: Health and living conditions; H1N1, one year later; global water shortages

WHO discusses shortcomings of its H1N1 response

Swine flu shots important before peak season, say experts

Opinions divided on swine flu fear

The EMBO Meeting 2010: Over 120 researchers to present

Drug boosting production of immune system protein worsens TB

Experts begin probe of WHO's response to H1N1

Automated UV radiation helps decontaminate healthcare-associated pathogens

Results of Phase I ThermoDox dose escalation trial to be discussed in a press conference

RNAO announces winners of 2010 Awards for Excellence in Health-Care Reporting

Has the NHS procured too many swine flu shots?

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