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Global tuberculosis epidemic has levelled off

The global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic has levelled off for the first time since WHO declared TB a public health emergency in 1993. The Global Tuberculosis Control Report released today by WHO finds that the percentage of the world's population struck by TB peaked in 2004 and then held steady in 2005.

22 Mar 2007

Hong Kong and China's Guangdong province will increase joint HIV surveillance and prevention efforts

According to Yu Dewen, spokesperson for the Guangdong health authority, because many new HIV cases are transmitted sexually, the two health departments will "launch a series of education campaigns to increase public awareness" about HIV/AIDS.

22 Mar 2007

U.S. tuberculosis rates all-time low in 2006

Drug-resistant TB, including extensively drug-resistant TB, presents significant challenges to treatment and control of the disease in the United States and abroad, according to articles in today's "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR).

22 Mar 2007

Flu pandemic could cost U.S. $683 billion

Trust for America's Health (TFAH) released a new report today that finds a severe pandemic flu outbreak could result in the second worst recession in the U.S. since World War II. The U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) could drop over 5.5 percent, leading to an estimated $683 billion loss.

22 Mar 2007

Tuberculosis on the rise in the UK

Provisional figures released by the Health Protection Agency for 2006 show that cases of tuberculosis (TB) in England , Wales and Northern Ireland have increased 2% from 8,008 cases reported in 2005 to 8,171 in 2006.

22 Mar 2007

15,595 meningitis cases this season in Africa

Two months into the dry season in the African "Meningitis Belt", 15,595 cases including 1,670 deaths have been reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from four countries: Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Uganda.

19 Mar 2007

Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B cases at lowest levels ever reported

The three most common forms of acute viral hepatitis in the United States -- hepatitis A, B and C -- declined dramatically between 1995 and 2005, with hepatitis A and B at the lowest levels ever recorded since the government began collecting surveillance data more than 40 years ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hepatitis B and C are diseases that can lead to liver cancer and death.

15 Mar 2007

Measurement of metal strontium found in bird feathers could provide bird flu clues

Measurements of different forms of the metal strontium found in bird feathers could unravel mysteries of their migration patterns and help predict the arrival of avian carried diseases such as bird flu.

15 Mar 2007

Antifungal drug kills tuberculosis bug

Scientists hoping to find new treatments for one of the world's most deadly infectious diseases say drugs used to treat common fungal infections may provide the answer.

From The University of Manchester 12 Mar 2007

Bird flu doing the rounds in Egypt

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed that a Egyptian 4-year-old boy has tested positive for bird flu; he is the country's 24th case.

12 Mar 2007

Newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases in U.S. disproportionately high among blacks

Black men and women accounted for more than 50% of the newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases in the U.S. from 2001 to 2005, despite accounting for 13% of the country's population, according to a report published in the March 9 edition of CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Reuters South Africa reports.

11 Mar 2007

Caribbean Broadcast Media partnership launches HIV/AIDS education campaign in conjunction with cricket world cup

The Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS on Thursday in advance of the Cricket World Cup opening launched LIVE UP -- the first pan-Caribbean campaign led by broadcasters to encourage and empower youth to learn about HIV and take action to fight the spread of the virus in the region -- the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation reports

11 Mar 2007

Bill would require prisons to provide HIV counseling, prevention education, condoms

A bill (HR 178) introduced in January by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) would require prisons to provide HIV counseling and prevention education efforts and to distribute "sexual barrier protection devices" to inmates in federal prisons, the Oakland Tribune reports.

11 Mar 2007

Vietnam launches program to stabilize HIV prevalence in 2007

Vietnam's Ministry of Health has launched a program to stabilize the country's HIV prevalence in 2007, the Vietnam News Agency reports.

11 Mar 2007

India plans to increase number of condom vending machines fivefold

India's National AIDS Control Organization plans to increase the number of condom vending machines in the country by fivefold under the third phase of the country's National AIDS Control Program, which is scheduled to be launched in April, IBNlive.com reports.

11 Mar 2007

Mexican Defense Ministry to re-enlist several HIV-positive soldiers

Mexican Ministry of Defense officials on Tuesday announced that they will re-enlist several HIV-positive soldiers after the country's Supreme Court ruled their expulsions unconstitutional, Reuters reports.

11 Mar 2007

Some Puerto Rican clinics limiting HIV/AIDS services following suspension of reimbursements from Ryan White progra

Some clinics in San Juan, Puerto Rico, have begun rationing drugs for hundreds of HIV-positive people, while other organizations have reduced food supplies and services, since they stopped receiving reimbursements from the Ryan White Program, the AP/AOL News reports.

11 Mar 2007

Second bird flu death in Laos - 11th country to fall victim to H5N1

The death of a 15-year-old girl from Laos from the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, is the country's first officially confirmed victim of the disease.

11 Mar 2007

AIDS and circumcision - the jury's still out

According to preliminary results of a study in Africa, although circumcision offers men some protection from the AIDS virus, if they are already-infected, unless they let the penis heal completely they may put women at an even higher risk of contracting the virus.

8 Mar 2007

HIV/AIDS services in Myanmar being pulled due to Government pressure

An increasing number of international organizations and health workers have stopped offering HIV/AIDS services in Myanmar because of pressure from the country's military government, the Washington Times reports.

8 Mar 2007