Pandemic News and Research

RSS

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.

Canadian researchers organize clinical trials to find new treatments for H1N1 infection

An important, ground-breaking initiative is unfolding in the global critical care community in response to the H1N1 pandemic.

12 Nov 2009

AVMA confirms that a household cat in Iowa showed signs of H1N1 influenza

Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. reported that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recently confirmed that a household cat in Iowa developed signs of respiratory infection caused by H1N1 influenza virus.

12 Nov 2009

FDA approves CSL Biotherapies' seasonal flu vaccine, Afluria for children

CSL Biotherapies, a subsidiary of CSL Limited, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of influenza vaccine, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company’s application for accelerated approval of its seasonal flu vaccine, Afluria® (Influenza Virus Vaccine) for use in the pediatric population aged 6 months and older.

12 Nov 2009

Oregon state officials confirm that three more ferrets have tested positive for the 2009 H1N1 virus

Three more ferrets in Oregon have tested positive for the 2009 pandemic influenza H1N1 virus, state officials confirmed this afternoon, bringing the total number of cases affecting ferrets in the state to four.

12 Nov 2009

EMS Solutions provides free resources to help companies tackle this year's H1N1 flu pandemic

Emergency Management & Safety Solutions (EMS Solutions), the crisis planner for many Fortune 100 companies, international government agencies and large non-profit organizations, is providing free resources to help companies better prepare for and prevent transmission of this year's H1N1 flu pandemic. Today, over 180 countries have experienced the H1N1 virus outbreak and approximately 6,500 people have died -- including over 1,500 in North America, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

12 Nov 2009

Lawmakers call for emergency sick-leave requirement

Lawmakers are calling for new legislation that would require businesses to provide paid emergency sick-leave because of the swine flu pandemic.

12 Nov 2009

Report predicts Africa's tobacco use will double within 12 years without intervention

"Africa faces a surge in cancer deaths unless action is taken in the next decade to stem rising smoking levels in a continent where anti-tobacco laws remain rare, U.S. scientists said Wednesday," Reuters reports (Kelland, 11/11).

11 Nov 2009

UK research funders announce support for a series of H1N1 2009 research projects

Leading UK research funders today announce -7.5 million of funding for a series of projects aimed at understanding the development and spread of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 - or 'swine flu'. The research will look at every aspect of the virus, on pig farms, in pig and human populations, and in hospital intensive care units.

11 Nov 2009

Congress urged to consider alternative approaches to workplace leave policies

In testimony today before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families, Elissa O'Brien, SPHR, vice president of human resources for Wingate Healthcare, urged Congress to consider alternative approaches to policies governing workplace leave that reflect the needs of today's workforce.

11 Nov 2009

World's poorest countries fail to address HIV despite low cost and effective preventive health efforts

A proven and cost-effective strategy for turning the tide on global AIDS still remains significantly underutilized, World Vision warned in advance of World AIDS Day. Efforts to prevent mother-to-baby transmission of HIV must be urgently scaled up in high-prevalence countries to avoid needless infection of children, the Christian humanitarian organization said.

11 Nov 2009

VeriChip announces the completion of Steel Vault acquisition

VeriChip Corporation, a provider of radio frequency identification (RFID) systems for healthcare and patient-related needs, and Steel Vault Corporation, a premier provider of identity security products and services, announced today that VeriChip has completed its acquisition of Steel Vault to provide unique health and security identification tools to protect consumers and businesses. In conjunction with the merger, VeriChip has changed its name to PositiveID ("PositiveID" or the "Company").

11 Nov 2009

No protection for 90% of Africans from secondhand smoke

As African nations are poised to undergo the highest increase in the rate of tobacco use among developing countries, nearly 90 percent of people on the continent remain without meaningful protection from secondhand smoke, according to a new report released at a regional cancer conference today.

10 Nov 2009

GSK to donate 50M H1N1 vaccine doses to WHO in coming months

Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline announced plans on Tuesday to donate 50 million doses of its H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine to the WHO for use in developing countries within the next few months, Reuters reports. "We expect to start receiving [the first of the H1N1 doses] at the end of the month or early December and that the full 50 million will come by the end of spring," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said, adding, "We hope it is the first of many donations."

10 Nov 2009

New N95 respirator from Safe Life

Safe Life Corp., an innovative antimicrobial company dedicated to developing novel technologies that prevent the spread of infection and disease, announced today the availability of the Safe Life A400 Series N95 Respirator with Antimicrobial Protection.

10 Nov 2009

H1N1 cases increase in China, Japan; Afghanistan attempts to contain virus

The WHO on Friday reported on a rising number of H1N1 (swine flu) cases in China and Japan, Reuters/Washington Post reports. "In China, after an earlier wave of mixed influenza activity (seasonal H3N2 and pandemic H1N1), pandemic H1N1 influenza activity now predominates and is increasing," the agency said. "Sharp increases in pandemic flu infections continue to be reported throughout Japan, particularly on the northern island," the news service writes (Nebehay, 11/6).

10 Nov 2009

VaxInnate licensed to use 3M Drug Delivery Systems' TLR agonists

3M Drug Delivery Systems has signed an agreement with VaxInnate Corporation under which VaxInnate acquires the use of 3M’s patented toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists for use as vaccine adjuvants. Data suggest that 3M’s TLR agonists could enhance vaccine potency, potentially enabling VaxInnate to develop vaccines that provide faster, more robust protection.

9 Nov 2009

NanoViricides to present data on its in vivo studies against influenza

NanoViricides, Inc., announced today that the Company’s CEO, Eugene Seymour, MD, MPH, has been invited to participate in a panel discussion at the Influenza Congress USA 2009, in Washington DC on November 19th (www.terrapinn.com/usaflu). The discussion will center on the “Evolving Role of Anti-Virals” in influenza treatment.

9 Nov 2009

2009 H1N1 influenza PPE federal guidance for healthcare workers causes concern among prevention experts

Three leading scientific organizations specializing in infectious diseases prevention issued a letter to President Obama today expressing their significant concern with current federal guidance concerning the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by healthcare workers in treating suspected or confirmed cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza.

7 Nov 2009

Prestige Ameritech to open a Global Pandemic Preparedness and Response Center

Prestige Ameritech is turning a vacant, former Kimberly-Clark surgical mask factory into a Global Pandemic Preparedness and Response Center. The 220,000 square foot facility, on 17 acres in North Richland Hills, Texas, will open by January 31, 2010.

7 Nov 2009

H1N1 is now most dominant flu strain worldwide, WHO says

The H1N1 (swine flu) virus is now the dominant flu strain worldwide, the WHO reported Thursday, with the virus accounting for up to 70 percent of the flu viruses sampled in some countries, the Associated Press reports.

6 Nov 2009

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

Canadian researchers organize clinical trials to find new treatments for H1N1 infection

AVMA confirms that a household cat in Iowa showed signs of H1N1 influenza

FDA approves CSL Biotherapies' seasonal flu vaccine, Afluria for children

Oregon state officials confirm that three more ferrets have tested positive for the 2009 H1N1 virus

EMS Solutions provides free resources to help companies tackle this year's H1N1 flu pandemic

Lawmakers call for emergency sick-leave requirement

Report predicts Africa's tobacco use will double within 12 years without intervention

UK research funders announce support for a series of H1N1 2009 research projects

Congress urged to consider alternative approaches to workplace leave policies

World's poorest countries fail to address HIV despite low cost and effective preventive health efforts

VeriChip announces the completion of Steel Vault acquisition

No protection for 90% of Africans from secondhand smoke

GSK to donate 50M H1N1 vaccine doses to WHO in coming months

New N95 respirator from Safe Life

H1N1 cases increase in China, Japan; Afghanistan attempts to contain virus

VaxInnate licensed to use 3M Drug Delivery Systems' TLR agonists

NanoViricides to present data on its in vivo studies against influenza

2009 H1N1 influenza PPE federal guidance for healthcare workers causes concern among prevention experts

Prestige Ameritech to open a Global Pandemic Preparedness and Response Center

H1N1 is now most dominant flu strain worldwide, WHO says

Best practices - optimize qPCR processes for pathogen detection eBook

Shaping the Future of Neuroscience: A Conversation with Atlas Antibodies on the MolBoolean™ and the Impact of SfN 2024

How the Arts Reshape Brain Function: Susan Magsamen on the Future of Neuroaesthetics

Inside the Alzheimer's Association: Dr. Heather Snyder on Driving Research and Collaboration

Latest News