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WHO will meet to decide if H1N1 has peaked

The WHO will convene a meeting of its emergency committee later this month to assess whether H1N1 (swine flu) has peaked, Keiji Fukuda, the special adviser to the WHO's director general for pandemic influenza, said Thursday, Bloomberg reports.

15 Feb 2010

Researchers describe the structure of ToxT that controls virulent nature of Vibrio cholerae

In a new study, Dartmouth researchers describe the structure of a protein called ToxT that controls the virulent nature of Vibrio cholerae, the bacteria that causes cholera. Buried within ToxT, the researchers were surprised to find a fatty acid that appears to inhibit ToxT, which prevents the bacteria from causing cholera.

14 Feb 2010

HIV transmission among male partners: CFAR scientists discover origin of strains

A team of scientists, led by a virologist from the University of California, San Diego's Center for AID Research (CFAR), has discovered the origin of strains of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among men who have sex with men. The study, which may be important in developing prevention strategies for HIV, will appear in Science Translational Medicine on February 10, 2010.

12 Feb 2010

Mayo Clinic Health Letter features comprehensive coverage of the liver

The liver, the largest internal organ, is the body's ultimate multitasker. While the liver is not glamorous or sentimental -- there are no love songs about a broken liver -- it simultaneously plays a key role in the body's metabolic, digestive and regulatory systems.

12 Feb 2010

getSTDtested.com launches "Kiss Chlamydia Goodbye" campaign

getSTDtested.com, a physician driven, STD testing and treatment online clinic today announced a campaign called "Kiss Chlamydia Goodbye" to encourage young women to take action to prevent chlamydia.

12 Feb 2010

Also in Global Health News: China's health care system; Breastfeeding practices in Pakistan; HIV transmission in MSM; Abu Dhabi joins malaria fight

The Los Angeles Times examines China's transition to "Western-style privatized medicine" through the government's "$124-billion overhaul, chiefly to improve service in rural areas." The article details the efforts of a woman from Inner Mongolia to get care in Beijing for her ailing father and looks at climbing health care costs and the growing "black market for medical care" (Pierson, 2/11).

12 Feb 2010

Antibodies also contribute to severe dengue virus-induced disease, confirms La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology

A leading immunology research institute has validated the long-held and controversial hypothesis that antibodies - usually the "good guys" in the body's fight against viruses - instead contribute to severe dengue virus-induced disease, the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology announced today. The finding has major implications for the development of a first-ever vaccine against dengue virus, a growing public health threat which annually infects 50 to 100 million people worldwide, causing a half million cases of the severest form.

12 Feb 2010

Study: Hospitalizations for H1N1 differ from hospitalizations associated with typical flu

When compared to a typical flu, the H1N1 virus resulted in a higher proportion of patients requiring specialized hospital services - and affected younger people more - according to a new study released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

12 Feb 2010

Positive results from Shire's velaglucerase alfa Phase III study for Type 1 Gaucher disease

Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today presented positive results from its first Phase III study (TKT 032) evaluating safety and efficacy of velaglucerase alfa, its investigational enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of Type 1 Gaucher disease. The data were presented in an oral presentation at the Lysosomal Disease Network (LDN) World Symposium in Miami, Florida.

12 Feb 2010

Heavy rains hit tent camps in Haiti

Heavy rains hit earthquake survivors in tent camps in Port-au-Prince on Thursday, "bringing a warning of fresh misery to come for the 1 million people living on the streets," Reuters reports.

12 Feb 2010

Scientists find single-dose of drug cures visceral leishmaniasis

A study has shown that a single infusion of Gilead Sciences' drug AmBisome, known generically as iposomal amphotericin B, cured nearly all patients with visceral leishmaniasis, or kala-azar, a parasitic infection, Reuters reports.

12 Feb 2010

New screening system developed to discover molecules that block HCV life cycle

A newly designed system of identifying molecules for treating hepatitis C should enable scientists to discover novel and effective therapies for the dangerous and difficult-to-cure disease of the liver, says Zhilei Chen, a Texas A&M University assistant professor of chemical engineering who helped develop the screening system.

12 Feb 2010

Emory-UGA IPIRC to host symposium on H1N1 virus

The Emory - University of Georgia Influenza Pathogenesis and Immunology Research Center will host a symposium April 18 - 20 at the Emory Conference Center featuring an international roster of speakers.

11 Feb 2010

PARI Pharma commences enrollment in L-CsA Phase 2b efficacy study

PARI Pharma has enrolled the first patient in its Phase 2b clinical trial studying inhaled liposomal cyclosporine A (L-CsA) delivered via a customized Investigational eFlow Nebulizer System. The multinational study is investigating the safety and efficacy of PARI's L-CsA formulation. In previous clinical trials, reactions from physicians and lung transplant recipients to PARI's drug-device combination were encouraging.

11 Feb 2010

FDA grants approval for Abbott's antiretroviral medication Norvir

Abbott announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval of a new tablet formulation of the company's antiretroviral medication Norvir ® (ritonavir). The new Norvir tablets can be stored at room temperature and do not require refrigeration, making it more convenient for patients.

11 Feb 2010

Oral hygiene: Insights

Oral health is often the window to your overall health. Evidence has supported the link between poor oral health and such conditions as stroke, premature birth and diabetes. Other conditions, such as HIV/AIDS and osteoporosis may show preliminary signs in your mouth, before other areas of the body are affected. Also, some of your daily activities or habits can affect your oral health. Therefore, it's wise to pay attention to your teeth and gums.

11 Feb 2010

HIV/AIDS seen as a gay man's disease, despite growing number of HIV infections in women

The MAC AIDS Fund (MAF) today launched its latest VIVA GLAM campaign, a women's initiative aimed at strengthening the service network and resources available to women living with and at risk of contracting HIV.

11 Feb 2010

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group subsidiary receives Chinese SFDA approval for Zanamivir

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, a leading pharmaceutical company specializing in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of branded generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals in China, today announced that one of its subsidiaries, Nanjing Simcere Dongyuan Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., has received new drug registration approval from the State Food and Drug Administration ("SFDA") to manufacture and sell Zanamivir, a neuraminidase inhibitor inhalant used in the prevention and treatment of Influenza A and Influenza B. Zanamivir is marketed globally by GlaxoSmithKline under the trade name Relenza.

11 Feb 2010

Also in global health news: N. Korea harvest; Zimbabwe’s health system; malaria parasite; training India's rural health workers; Myanmar recovery; health in Uganda

ZimOnline examines Zimbabwe's health system, which the country's health minister, Henry Madzorera, says has improved, but is still in need of additional progress.

11 Feb 2010

Biomagnetics Diagnostics to accelerate development of assay test cartridge for malaria, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and TB

Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp., a developer of revolutionary diagnostic systems and technology for malaria, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis and detection, announced today the implementation of a program to accelerate the availability of the world's first Integrated Optical BioSensor (IOBS) platform. The Company is currently reviewing research and manufacturing partnerships to develop simple to replicate bench top versions of the IOBS platform on which single pathogen or multiple pathogen testing assay cartridges can be developed.

11 Feb 2010

Disease/Infection News

WHO will meet to decide if H1N1 has peaked

Researchers describe the structure of ToxT that controls virulent nature of Vibrio cholerae

HIV transmission among male partners: CFAR scientists discover origin of strains

Mayo Clinic Health Letter features comprehensive coverage of the liver

getSTDtested.com launches "Kiss Chlamydia Goodbye" campaign

Also in Global Health News: China's health care system; Breastfeeding practices in Pakistan; HIV transmission in MSM; Abu Dhabi joins malaria fight

Antibodies also contribute to severe dengue virus-induced disease, confirms La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology

Study: Hospitalizations for H1N1 differ from hospitalizations associated with typical flu

Positive results from Shire's velaglucerase alfa Phase III study for Type 1 Gaucher disease

Heavy rains hit tent camps in Haiti

Scientists find single-dose of drug cures visceral leishmaniasis

New screening system developed to discover molecules that block HCV life cycle

Emory-UGA IPIRC to host symposium on H1N1 virus

PARI Pharma commences enrollment in L-CsA Phase 2b efficacy study

FDA grants approval for Abbott's antiretroviral medication Norvir

Oral hygiene: Insights

HIV/AIDS seen as a gay man's disease, despite growing number of HIV infections in women

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group subsidiary receives Chinese SFDA approval for Zanamivir

Also in global health news: N. Korea harvest; Zimbabwe’s health system; malaria parasite; training India's rural health workers; Myanmar recovery; health in Uganda

Biomagnetics Diagnostics to accelerate development of assay test cartridge for malaria, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and TB

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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