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Clinical Infectious Diseases journal examines new scientific advances to curb HIV, TB epidemics

As US policymakers consider scaling back on its historic initiative to fight AIDS around the world and downsizing goals to combat tuberculosis, next-generation treatment and prevention strategies to significantly reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are now imminent. New science can dramatically change the trajectory of both deadly epidemics, according to a special new issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

21 May 2010

Hepatitis C affects so many people and yet not recognized as serious public health problem

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and you may find it surprising to learn an estimated 4 million Americans have been infected with Hepatitis C. This silent disease is three to five times more prevalent than HIV. Hepatitis C is the most common cause of liver transplants in the U.S.

21 May 2010

Media examines recent Oxfam report on impact of aid to developing countries

In a recent report, Oxfam "outlines how aid has contributed to economic growth in poor countries by getting 33 million more children into school, boosting access to HIV drugs tenfold, funding tens of millions of anti-malaria bed nets, and building up health services," Reuters AlertNet reports (Rowling, 5/20).

21 May 2010

Studies identify new chemical compounds that could lead to development of new malaria drugs

Researchers have identified thousands of chemical compounds that could be used to develop new malaria drugs, two studies published in the journal Nature on Wednesday show, the Wall Street Journal reports.

21 May 2010

Hendra virus infects a horse in south Queensland – authorities fear spread

A horse was put down at Tewantin, near Noosa and it was confirmed that it had Hendra virus infection. At present quarantine measures are being taken.

20 May 2010

GSK, EMBL-EBI, NLM and CDD collaborate to apply principles of open source to drug discovery for malaria

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) had teamed up with leading public-domain data providers European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the U.S.-based informatics service provider Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) to make freely available key scientific information on more than 13,500 compounds that could ultimately lead to new treatments for malaria.

20 May 2010

Research and movement in future towards universal influenza virus vaccine

Researchers at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine have developed a novel influenza vaccine that could represent the next step towards a universal influenza vaccine eliminating the need for seasonal immunizations. They report their findings today in the inaugural issue of mBio-, the first online, open-access journal published by the American Society for Microbiology.

20 May 2010

New IRMA report outlines the growing field of rectal microbicide R&D

International Rectal Microbicide Advocates will officially release its third landmark report -- "From Promise to Product: Advancing Rectal Microbicide Research and Advocacy" -- at the 2010 International Microbicides Conference in Pittsburgh, PA taking place May 22-25, 2010.

20 May 2010

Dynamic testing approach for HIV/AIDS diagnostics

A relatively simple electronic gadget could speed up HIV/AIDS diagnostics and improve accuracy particularly in parts of the world with very limited access to healthcare workers. The device is described in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology.

20 May 2010

Public health and HIV/AIDS prevention policies should reflect and work with evolution of sexual behavior

HIV/Aids prevention campaigns which take into account changing sexual trends and social norms are more effective than campaigns which ignore them, according to the results of a series of surveys conducted in France. The findings will be published in the forthcoming issue of AIDS, the leading journal in the field of HIV and AIDS research.

20 May 2010

Androgen receptors promote hepatitis B virus in growth and development of hepatoma cells

Dr. Ming-Heng Wu of the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan, in collaboration with Prof. Chawnshang Chang's laboratory of University of Rochester (UR), United States, have discovered that androgen receptors (AR) can promote hepatitis B virus-induced hepatocarcinogenesis through modulation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA transcription.

20 May 2010

Nearly 1 in 5 cases of infection with C. neoformans caused by multiple strains of pathogen: Research

New research shows that nearly 1 in 5 cases of infection with the potentially deadly fungus Cryptococcus neoformans are caused by not one but multiple strains of the pathogen. Researchers from the Institut Pasteur and the University of Minnesota Medical School report their findings today in the inaugural issue of mBio-, the first online, open-access journal published by the American Society for Microbiology.

20 May 2010

Modern malaria control efforts counteract effects of rising temperatures: Scientists

Contrary to a widespread assumption, global warming is unlikely to expand the range of malaria because of malaria control, development and other factors that are at work to corral the disease.

20 May 2010

Using sari cloth to filter water protects household from cholera: Study

A five-year follow up study in Bangladesh finds that women are literally wearing the answer to better health for themselves, their families and even their neighbors. Using the simple sari to filter household water protects not only the household from cholera, but reduces the incidence of disease in neighboring households that do not filter.

20 May 2010

Live malaria parasites in the skin shut down immune responses and block vaccine function: Study

Why one after another new malaria vaccine tests well in the laboratory but fails in field trials has frustrated legions of malaria researchers, and has been the main stumbling block to malaria eradication. Now, a research team from Germany has unraveled that puzzle and shown that the problem is all about the skin and how it controls the immune system. The implications are profound.

20 May 2010

Saint Louis University conducts research to find safe, effective vaccination for dengue

Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Saint Louis University's Center for Vaccine Development is conducting research of an investigational vaccine designed to prevent people from contracting dengue, a potentially lethal virus that has rapidly spread around the world.

20 May 2010

Pennsylvania Department of Health recommends hepatitis A and B vaccination for children and adults at risk

The Pennsylvania Department of Health recommends immunization of children and adults at the highest risk for hepatitis during "Hepatitis Awareness Month" and "World Hepatitis Day" on May 19.

20 May 2010

New study shows CDPK1 controls toxoplasma's ability to secrete microneme proteins

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a parasite protein that has all the makings of a microbial glass jaw: it's essential, it's vulnerable and humans have nothing like it, meaning scientists can take pharmacological swings at it with minimal fear of collateral damage.

20 May 2010

Global Fund launches campaign to generate public support for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Thursday launched a campaign to generate public support for efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015, the BBC reports. "The Born HIV Free campaign comes at a critical time, with the fund seeking donations of up to $20bn over the next three years," the BBC continues.

20 May 2010

World Health Assembly news

Media outlets continue to track news emerging from the 63rd annual World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva.

20 May 2010

Disease/Infection News

Clinical Infectious Diseases journal examines new scientific advances to curb HIV, TB epidemics

Hepatitis C affects so many people and yet not recognized as serious public health problem

Media examines recent Oxfam report on impact of aid to developing countries

Studies identify new chemical compounds that could lead to development of new malaria drugs

Hendra virus infects a horse in south Queensland – authorities fear spread

GSK, EMBL-EBI, NLM and CDD collaborate to apply principles of open source to drug discovery for malaria

Research and movement in future towards universal influenza virus vaccine

New IRMA report outlines the growing field of rectal microbicide R&D

Dynamic testing approach for HIV/AIDS diagnostics

Public health and HIV/AIDS prevention policies should reflect and work with evolution of sexual behavior

Androgen receptors promote hepatitis B virus in growth and development of hepatoma cells

Nearly 1 in 5 cases of infection with C. neoformans caused by multiple strains of pathogen: Research

Modern malaria control efforts counteract effects of rising temperatures: Scientists

Using sari cloth to filter water protects household from cholera: Study

Live malaria parasites in the skin shut down immune responses and block vaccine function: Study

Saint Louis University conducts research to find safe, effective vaccination for dengue

Pennsylvania Department of Health recommends hepatitis A and B vaccination for children and adults at risk

New study shows CDPK1 controls toxoplasma's ability to secrete microneme proteins

Global Fund launches campaign to generate public support for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV

World Health Assembly news

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

Addressing Important Cardiac Biology Questions with Shotgun Top-Down Proteomics

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