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SARS outbreak unlikely according to World Health Organization

The regional head of the World Health Organization said today that it was possible the region would experience SARS cases this winter, but he doubted the situation would be serious. "I don't think a large outbreak is likely," said Dr Shigeru Omi, Regional Director of WHO's Western Pacific Regional Office.

29 Nov 2004

Salmonella pathogen uses molecular hydrogen to grow and become virulent

New research, headed by microbiologists from the University of Georgia, show for the first time that Salmonella – a widespread and often deadly bacterial pathogen – use molecular hydrogen to grow and become virulent.

29 Nov 2004

One in five women with HIV in the United States has no health insurance

One in five women with HIV in the United States has no health insurance. Half of the estimated 460,000 women and men who need lifesaving antiretroviral drugs are not getting them, according to a recent report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences.

29 Nov 2004

53,000 adults living with HIV/AIDS in the UK

There are now 53,000 adults living with HIV/AIDS in the UK, over a quarter of whom (14,300) remain unaware of their infection according to the Health Protection Agency's annual report on HIV.

29 Nov 2004

Health risks of goat milk and derived products with regards to BSE/TSE

The Scientific Expert Working Group on BSE/TSE of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Scientific Panel on Biological Hazards have published a statement on the safety of goat milk and milk products with regards to possible BSE/TSE risks.

29 Nov 2004

Rigour and Vigour Conference: Directions in HIV Prevention

Curtin University of Technology, Australia, will host the Rigour and Vigour Conference: Directions in HIV Prevention tomorrow to coincide with World AIDS Day on Wednesday 1 December.

29 Nov 2004

Moldova making progress in fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis

Moldova’s early actions to fight HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are slowing the rise of the country’s dual tuberculosis and AIDS epidemics, the World Bank reports.

29 Nov 2004

Women now making up nearly half of the 37.2 million adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV worldwide

A new report released today shows that the number of women living with HIV has risen in each region of the world over the past two years, with the steepest increases in East Asia, followed by Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In East Asia, there was a 56% increase over the past two years, followed by Eastern Europe and Central Asia with 48%.

23 Nov 2004

Canadian measures to enhance BSE surveillance

Statement by Andy Mitchell, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister responsible for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

20 Nov 2004

Pyramid sampling method to be used to track HIV-risk behavior among drug users in 25 cities

What's the best way to get a statistically reliable sample of people who are hard to identify, such as illegal-drug users in large cities, itinerant jazz musicians, aging Manhattan artists and semi-professional storytellers?

20 Nov 2004

$10.4 million to provide support for HIV/AIDS research in Peru, Thailand, Cambodia and Russia

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced four new grants totaling $10.4 million to provide support for HIV/AIDS research in Peru, Thailand, Cambodia and Russia, four nations that have been hard hit by the AIDS epidemic.

19 Nov 2004

Parainfluenza virus found in Hong Kong patients

A CHP spokesman said PIVs are spread by respiratory secretions through close contact with infected persons or contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.

18 Nov 2004

American Meat Institute says U.S. beef is safe

The American Meat Institute (AMI) today said U.S. beef is safe and consumers needn't worry about news of a new "inconclusive" test result for BSE or "Mad Cow Disease."

18 Nov 2004

Statement from U.S. Department of Agriculture on an inconclusive BSE test result

Statement by Andrea Morgan, Associate Deputy Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture on an Inconclusive BSE Test Result.

18 Nov 2004

Evidence of exposure to a monkey virus possibly related to cancer has been found in the blood of North American zoo workers

The virus, a polyomavirus known as simian virus 40 (SV40), has long been a subject of public health concern, in part because it has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, and some investigators have reported SV40 DNA in human tumors.

18 Nov 2004

Low-cost antibiotic co-trimoxazole should be given to all children with HIV in developing countries

Results of a randomised trial in this week’s issue of THE LANCET highlight how the low-cost antibiotic co-trimoxazole should be given to all children with HIV in developing countries to help reduce illness and death from opportunistic infections such as pneumonia.

18 Nov 2004