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Surge in E. coli food contamination recalls prompts aggressive action

As a result of the increasing numbers of food recalls this year involving food contaminated with E. coli, the U.S. Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) says it will expand tests and recall infected meat more rapidly.

24 Oct 2007

In the event of a bird flu pandemic more vaccine will be ready

The World Health Organization (WHO) has revised it's estimate of how much bird flu vaccine could be available were a pandemic scenario to unfold.

24 Oct 2007

New flu pandemic plans for U.S.

In the event of a flu pandemic in the United States new government plans detail who will be the first to get vaccinated.

24 Oct 2007

Anti-tuberculosis program in South Africa may have inadvertently helped create new strain of XDR TB

In a new study published in the December 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, currently available online, researchers tracked the developing drug resistance of one particular strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis over 12 years.

22 Oct 2007

Critical need for earlier diagnosis and referral of HIV-infected children in Africa

Care provided by nurses and other clinicians in primary health care settings in sub-Saharan Africa can result in good outcomes for children with HIV infection.

22 Oct 2007

HIV is spread most by people with medium levels of HIV in blood

People with medium levels of HIV in their blood are likely to contribute most to the spread of the virus, according to new research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

22 Oct 2007

High-risk individuals less likely to follow through on HIV testing plans

One-fourth of individuals at high risk for contracting HIV report planning to be tested for the virus in the next year, but fewer appear to follow through on that intention than individuals who are at lower risk, according to a report in the October 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

22 Oct 2007

Hand hygiene initiative aims to decrease healthcare-associated infection in developing countries

An open-access commentary in the December 2007 issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology examines a recently launched a global initiative by the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat healthcare-associated infection by improving hand hygiene in health care.

22 Oct 2007

Good outcomes possible for HIV-infected children in Africa enrolled in pediatric treatment programs

Care provided by nurses and other clinicians in primary health care settings in sub-Saharan Africa can result in good outcomes for children with HIV infection.

22 Oct 2007

Free medications ensure anti-HIV drugs are taken in Africa

HIV-infected patients in the African country of Tanzania were more likely to stop taking their medications and to fail treatment if they had to pay for the drugs themselves.

22 Oct 2007

Fight against HIV needs local scientists

Scientists from developing countries are vitally important in the fight against HIV and they must be given the proper resources to conduct their work, according to a new commentary published today in the journal Nature Immunology.

22 Oct 2007

Parents panic over MRSA

The death of a 17-year-old high school student in Virginia from the superbug MRSA has prompted the closure of 21 schools in the state for cleaning and has many parents worried.

22 Oct 2007

West Nile virus' spread through nerve cells linked to serious complication

Scientists believe they have found an explanation for a puzzling and serious complication of West Nile virus infection.

19 Oct 2007

Effective vaccine against malaria a very real possibility

The preliminary results of a malaria vaccine trial in African infants show that the vaccine gave a high level of protection and was also safe.

19 Oct 2007

19,000 Americans died in 2005 from MRSA

A new study that estimates nearly 19,000 Americans died in 2005 from a virulent, antibiotic-resistant infection acquired mostly in the hospital underscores the need for Congress to require public reporting of patient infection rates, according to Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports.

19 Oct 2007

MRSA superbug a bigger killer than AIDS

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States says MRSA infections (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) are more prevalent and invasive than previously thought.

18 Oct 2007

Interventions for the interruption or reduction of the spread of respiratory viruses

If SARS makes a comeback or a serious epidemic of flu becomes a reality, children could become an important focus in fighting back against these deadly viruses, according to a new review of recent studies.

17 Oct 2007

Technology to beat superbugs wins major funding

Scientists at Biocontrol, leading the world in developing new treatments to cure serious antibiotic-resistant infections, have secured a £250,000 investment from The Capital Fund.

17 Oct 2007

Breakbone fever a growing public health threat

Dengue fever, known as “breakbone fever” because of the excruciating back and joint pain that accompanies this infectious disease, is a growing public health threat for people living in tropical countries, as well as travelers to destinations such as Thailand, Brazil and Puerto Rico, according to research being presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), Nov. 4-7.

17 Oct 2007

Home-based HIV voluntary counseling and testing in developing countries

A review of existing research suggests that people in two African countries prefer taking HIV tests at home, with the assistance of counselors, instead of at a clinic.

17 Oct 2007