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CDIs are becoming significant issue in healthcare institutions: Study

Clostridium difficile infections are quickly becoming a significant issue in healthcare based upon recent studies. Preliminary data collected from nursing homes and highlighted in a Supplementary Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory shows that almost 40 percent of gastrointestinal infections reported are CDIs.

19 Mar 2010

Acne drug prevents HIV breakout

Johns Hopkins scientists have found that a safe and inexpensive antibiotic in use since the 1970s for treating acne effectively targets infected immune cells in which HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, lies dormant and prevents them from reactivating and replicating.

18 Mar 2010

Legacy Biotechnologies commences production of Reme-Flu

Nuvilex, Inc., announces today that Legacy Biotechnologies, Inc., its joint venture partner in Reme-Flu™, has commenced production of Reme-Flu™ and expects it to be ready for consumer purchase within the next 30 days. Reme-Flu™ is Legacy Biotechnologies’ unique 2-part homeopathic flu remedy designed to help treat symptoms of the flu. Initially, Reme-Flu™ will be offered on the top-rated website, www.nutralegacy.com.

18 Mar 2010

Lawsuit shows insurer targeted HIV patients for 'rescission'

A court case has revealed that the insurer Fortis, now called Assurant Health, automatically targeted customers diagnosed with HIV for fraud investigations geared toward finding reasons to revoke their coverage, Reuters reports. After a computer algorithm initiated the investigations, "their insurance policies often were canceled on erroneous information, the flimsiest of evidence, or for no good reason at all, according to the court documents and interviews with state and federal investigators."

18 Mar 2010

Gene regulation rather than genes make us unique

Once the human genome was sequenced in 2001, the hunt was on for the genes that make each of us unique. But scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, and Yale and Stanford Universities in the USA, have found that we differ from each other mainly because of differences not in our genes, but in how they're regulated - turned on or off, for instance.

18 Mar 2010

Genocea Biosciences acquires global license for novel Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens from Children’s Hospital Boston

Genocea Biosciences, a vaccine discovery and development company, today announced an exclusive worldwide license for developed countries to a portfolio of Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens from Children’s Hospital Boston. PATH and Genocea retain certain co-exclusive rights to the antigens for use in developing countries under their collaboration agreements with Children's Hospital Boston.

18 Mar 2010

Yellow fever outbreak in howler monkeys signals the need for human vaccination program

A group of Argentine scientists, including health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society, have announced that yellow fever is the culprit in a 2007-2008 die-off of howler monkeys in northeastern Argentina, a finding that underscores the importance of paying attention to the health of wildlife and how the health of people and wild nature are so closely linked.

18 Mar 2010

USPTO allows Regulus Therapeutics' claims covering methods of antagonizing miR-181a for regulating immune response

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has allowed claims in U.S. Application Serial No. 11/977,506 covering methods of antagonizing miR-181a to regulate immune response. This patent is owned by Stanford University and licensed exclusively to Regulus. miR-181a has been shown to regulate the response of immune cells, such as T lymphocytes, to specific stimuli and modulation of miR-181a could lead to a novel treatment of inflammatory disease.

18 Mar 2010

French National Program finds significant decreases in the rates of HAIs since 2004

Researchers evaluating France's national infection control program for healthcare facilities found significant decreases in the rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) since 2004. The drop in HAIs, including MRSA and surgical site infections, could be attributed to important changes in the national infection control system.

18 Mar 2010

Achillion Pharmaceuticals receives NIH SBIR grant for study of novel antibacterial compound series

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the discovery and development of small molecule drugs to combat the most challenging infectious diseases, today announced that it has received a Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research Grant (SBIR) from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the further study and characterization of a back-up series of compounds related to its novel antibacterial, ACH-702.

18 Mar 2010

Modulating body's inflammatory response may help fight serious infection

Treating virulent influenza, sepsis, and other potentially deadly infections long has focused on looking for ways to kill viruses and bacteria. But new research from the University of Utah and Utah State University shows that modulating the body's own overeager inflammatory response to infection may help save more lives.

18 Mar 2010

Bleach-based disinfectants more effective against noroviruses

Some 40% of commercial disinfectants used to clean surfaces are believed to be ineffective in eliminating noroviruses, a group of viruses responsible for more than half of all foodborne gastroenteritis outbreaks. According to a recent study published by Universit- Laval researchers in the Journal of Food Protection, only bleach-based disinfectants drastically reduce the concentration of these viruses.

18 Mar 2010

New combination drug treatment for parasitic intestinal roundworms shows promise

Several drugs currently in use or in development control parasitic worms in the same way. That concerns health workers In developing countries where reinfestations often require repeated treatments. If worms develop resistance to one drug, the other treatments would likely fail as well.

18 Mar 2010

Bone marrow stem cells offer potential treatment for patients with peripheral arterial disease

Bone marrow stem cells suspended in X-ray-visible microbubbles dramatically improve the body's ability to build new blood vessels in the upper leg-providing a potential future treatment for those with peripheral arterial disease or PAD, say researchers at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa, Fla.

18 Mar 2010

Fungi, like bacteria, can cause severe infections

Fungi have significant potential for "horizontal" gene transfer, a new study has shown, similar to the mechanisms that allow bacteria to evolve so quickly, become resistant to antibiotics and cause other serious problems.

18 Mar 2010

Nature News examines GAVI Alliance's budget gap

Nature News examines GAVI Alliance's multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall ahead of a donors meeting in The Hague on March 25-26.

18 Mar 2010

SC Johnson announces collaboration with BMGF on global efforts to combat malaria

SC Johnson, A Family Company, today announced a collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on global efforts to combat malaria. The organizations will jointly support research programs conducted by Cornell University Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise and a consortium of Indonesian research institutions to advance the development and use of consumer products in the fight against the spread of the disease.

18 Mar 2010

PPD, Southern Research Institute collaborate in pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccine research

PPD and Southern Research Institute today announced they have formed a collaborative agreement in pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccine research and development to provide clients a full spectrum of influenza vaccine development services by collaborating on client bids and projects.

18 Mar 2010

Hypnotherapy and probiotics effective for reducing IBS symptoms

Hypnotherapy seems to be very effective for easing the distressing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and in a goodly proportion of cases, clears up symptoms altogether, reveal experts during a wide ranging discussion of the condition in a Frontline Gastroenterology podcast.

18 Mar 2010

Cangene receives European Commission approval to market ImmunoGam

Cangene Corporation today reports that it has received European Commission approval to market Cangene's ImmunoGam(TM) (Human Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin), indicated for immunoprophylaxis of hepatitis B.

18 Mar 2010

Disease/Infection News

CDIs are becoming significant issue in healthcare institutions: Study

Acne drug prevents HIV breakout

Legacy Biotechnologies commences production of Reme-Flu

Lawsuit shows insurer targeted HIV patients for 'rescission'

Gene regulation rather than genes make us unique

Genocea Biosciences acquires global license for novel Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens from Children’s Hospital Boston

Yellow fever outbreak in howler monkeys signals the need for human vaccination program

USPTO allows Regulus Therapeutics' claims covering methods of antagonizing miR-181a for regulating immune response

French National Program finds significant decreases in the rates of HAIs since 2004

Achillion Pharmaceuticals receives NIH SBIR grant for study of novel antibacterial compound series

Modulating body's inflammatory response may help fight serious infection

Bleach-based disinfectants more effective against noroviruses

New combination drug treatment for parasitic intestinal roundworms shows promise

Bone marrow stem cells offer potential treatment for patients with peripheral arterial disease

Fungi, like bacteria, can cause severe infections

Nature News examines GAVI Alliance's budget gap

SC Johnson announces collaboration with BMGF on global efforts to combat malaria

PPD, Southern Research Institute collaborate in pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccine research

Hypnotherapy and probiotics effective for reducing IBS symptoms

Cangene receives European Commission approval to market ImmunoGam

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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