Pneumonia News and Research

Latest Pneumonia News and Research

China and bird flu - the plot thickens

The plot has thickened when it comes to China and bird flu.

26 Jun 2006

Chlorhexidine decreases risk of acquiring hospital-related ventilator-associated pneumonia

Researchers found that administering the topical antiseptic chlorhexidine to critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation greatly decreased their daily risk of acquiring deadly hospital-related ventilator-associated pneumonia.

18 Jun 2006

Study finds high mold levels in post-Katrina New Orleans air

Airborne mold levels left in New Orleans pose a "significant respiratory hazard" to residents returning to the devastated city in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

18 Jun 2006

China's 19th case of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza virus

The Ministry of Health in China has confirmed the country's 19th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

18 Jun 2006

Chickens may be silent carriers of bird flu

Health officials are on alert again in Hong Kong following reports of a suspected case of bird flu just over the border with China in Shenzhen.

14 Jun 2006

Smokers with wrinkled faces five times at risk of serious lung disease

New research by British scientists has found that heavy wrinkles on the faces of smokers may be an early warning sign of a serious lung disease.

14 Jun 2006

Are we over-dosing on antibiotics?

Dutch researchers say that a three day course of antibiotics is just as effective as the usual seven to 10 days course when it comes to treating common pneumonia.

12 Jun 2006

What is the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy?

Taking antibiotics for three days is just as effective for community acquired pneumonia as continuing treatment for the recommended 7-10 days, finds a study in this week's British Medical Journal.

8 Jun 2006

Pneumonia can be treated effectively in nursing homes

There may be no advantage to taking nursing home residents to hospital for treatment of pneumonia.

7 Jun 2006

Avian flu facts

Avian influenza (also called "bird flu") refers to the strains of the virus that infect birds. Bird flu can cause widespread illness and death among birds, though there are many different strains, which vary in strength.

1 Jun 2006

Arthritis drug wins approval for use in children with Crohn's disease

The Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. has given approval for the drug Remicade for use in children with active Crohn's disease(CD), a chronic and debilitating condition.

21 May 2006

Study shows strong association between treatment with TNF-blocking antibodies and development of serious infections

A new meta-analysis of many previous studies of TNF- (tumor necrosis factor) blocking antibodies for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has confirmed a previously discovered increased risk for serious infection and has found that cancer also is a potential risk associated with the drugs.

17 May 2006

Levofloxacin-based triple therapy against persistent ulcer-inducing bacteria successful

For those who suffer from stomach ulcers, the daily routine of breakfast, lunch and dinner can be painful.

10 May 2006

Scientists discover a master key to microbes' pathogenic lifestyles

For some microbes, the transformation from a benign lifestyle in the soil to that of a potentially deadly human pathogen is just a breath away.

3 May 2006

New treatment against persistent ulcer-inducing bacteria successful

For those who suffer from stomach ulcers, the daily routine of breakfast, lunch and dinner can be painful. A common cause of these ulcers, as well as other gastric malignancies, is a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori .

1 May 2006

Corticosteroids do not improve survival in patients with late-stage acute respiratory distress syndrome

The study is the first multi-center randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effects of moderate doses of steroids in ARDS patients when treatment is started 7 days or more after the onset of the condition.

20 Apr 2006

New guidelines for treating severely injured patients

If someone is injured in an automobile collision or is severely burned, emergency room physicians across the country would probably take similar steps to stabilize each condition. But subsequent treatment in the intensive care unit or operating room is less well established and may vary significantly.

19 Apr 2006

Western Australia measles warning

The West Australian Department of Health has issued an alert following notification of five cases of measles in Western Australia over the Easter period.

19 Apr 2006

New guidelines for pulmonary complications

Pulmonary complications, including pneumonia and respiratory failure, are a common - and dangerous - problem for patients following major surgery.

19 Apr 2006

Promising treatment for Huntington's disease soon to be tested clinically

At the Institut Curie, CNRS and Inserm researchers have shown that cysteamine, which is already used to treat a rare disease called cystinosis, prevents the death of neurons in Huntington's disease. Like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, is characterized by the abnormal death of neurons.

19 Apr 2006