Tuberculosis News and Research

Latest Tuberculosis News and Research

Antiretroviral therapy reduces mortality rates in patients co-infected with HIV and TB

Initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) during tuberculosis therapy significantly reduced mortality rates by 56 percent in a randomized clinical trial of 642 patients co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis. The study, which provides further impetus for the integration of TB and HIV services, lays to rest the controversy on whether co-infected patients should initiate ART during or after TB treatment.

26 Feb 2010

Lack of knowledge and awareness impeding efforts to control HBV and HCV

A recent report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) confirmed that 3.5 to 5.3 million people (1-2 % of the U.S. population) have chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Despite efforts by federal, state and local government agencies to control and prevent these diseases, they remain a serious public health concern. The major factor impeding efforts to control HBV and HCV is lack of knowledge and awareness among health care providers, social service professionals, members of the public, and policy-makers.

24 Feb 2010

PointCare Technologies donates rapid PointCare NOW tests to Haitian clinics

PointCare Technologies, pioneer inventor of a portable diagnostic system that enables effective HIV/AIDS monitoring for millions of people in remote areas of developing countries, has donated 4,000 (a month's supply) of its rapid PointCare NOW tests to Haitian clinics to ensure the resumption of critical care to HIV/AIDS patients.

24 Feb 2010

Alliance Biosciences to provide engineering and biosafety guidance for Nyumbani's HIV/TB diagnostic facility

Alliance Biosciences reached an agreement with the Nyumbani Children's Home in Kenya to provide engineering and biosafety guidance to Nyumbani's planned HIV/TB diagnostic facility.

24 Feb 2010

ViiV Healthcare highlights S/GSK1349572, SELZENTRY and EPZICOM for HIV/AIDS at 17th CROI

At the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), ViiV Healthcare presented new data across its broad range of investigational and current medicines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Highlighted data at the conference included an oral presentation on the investigational integrase inhibitor, S/GSK1349572, as well as data presentations on SELZENTRY® (maraviroc) and EPZICOM® (abacavir/lamivudine).

24 Feb 2010

FDA grants EUA for Longhorn Influenza A/H1N1-09 Prime RRT-PCR Assay in CLIA high complexity laboratories

Longhorn Vaccines & Diagnostics today announced it has been granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Longhorn Influenza A/H1N1-09 Prime RRT-PCR Assay™ in CLIA high complexity laboratories. . The Longhorn Influenza A/H1N1-09 Prime RRT-PCR Assay™ is a ready-use assay that requires no mixing prior to use and has been authorized for use on the ABI 7500.

24 Feb 2010

Also in global health news: Global Fund; MDGs, women; polio eradication

Radio Australia examines the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria's push for more funding from Australia and China. Global Fund Executive Director "Michel Kazatchkine is currently touring the world's capitals seeking renewed government pledges to build on an already impressive record and as well as looking to Australia to do more, he's hoping soon to get China to become not just recipient, but donor."

24 Feb 2010

Menssana Research develops 85% accurate breath test for pulmonary tuberculosis

A new breath test can detect active pulmonary tuberculosis, according to a report to be published in the journal "Tuberculosis."

23 Feb 2010

Global rules barring TB patients from flying are too stringent, study says

A "controversial" study, released on Sunday, "suggests international rules that bar potentially infectious tuberculosis patients from flying are too stringent and airline passengers are really at little risk from catching TB from a fellow traveler," the Associated Press/Washington Post reports. The paper is being published in the March edition of Lancet Infectious Diseases (Stobbe, 2/21).

23 Feb 2010

AAAS meeting examines test-and-treat model's potential for fighting HIV spread, TB co-infection

Researchers speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) meeting on Saturday, discussed how a strategy to promote universal voluntary HIV tests and early antiretroviral treatment for patients living in high-risk areas might "derail the spread of [HIV/]AIDS, a battle where a successful vaccine remains elusive," the Associated Press/Washington Post reports

23 Feb 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

The Infectious Diseases Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog examines U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Eric Goosby's recent address to the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) where he reemphasized the Obama administration's commitment to "'maintaining, extending and increasing' the U.S. response to global AIDS." Goosby reflected on the lessons drawn from PEPFAR to date and presented components of the 5-year PEPFAR strategy, the blog notes.

20 Feb 2010

Rib-X Pharmaceuticals co-founder discovers new ribosomal structures of antibiotics

Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a development-stage antibiotics company with a broad product pipeline based on its innovative discovery platform, and Yale University today announced the discovery by Thomas Steitz, Ph.D., co-founder of Rib-X and Yale University professor, of important new ribosomal structures of antibiotics, enabling the potential creation of novel treatments for drug resistant infections, including resistant tuberculosis (TB).

19 Feb 2010

State policy developments: Wisconsin's new 'public option,' Iowa's medical marijuana vote, and more

New Hampshire Public Radio: A bill in the state legislature would create an annual public report that details the causes of rising health spending by analyzing now-private information that doctors, hospitals and other health organizations would have to provide to the state's Department of Insurance. The move is partly in response to conflicting narratives: The state's health spending continues to rise, yet hospitals and doctors say they are struggling (Grant, 2/17).

19 Feb 2010

Phase III data reveals potential of Merck’s GARDASIL in preventing HPV and HPV-related cancers

Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that in new Phase III data, GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] was 77.5 percent (95 percent CI: 39.6, 93.3) efficacious against anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in 16-to-26 year-old men who have sex with men. The data were presented at the European Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (EUROGIN) conference in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

18 Feb 2010

Study demonstrates once-a-week TB drug is as effective as daily dose

Researchers at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are one step closer to providing Tuberculosis (TB) sufferers with a once-a-week medicinal regime rather than their current daily doses.

18 Feb 2010

TB's mechanism to evade body's immune system identified

Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have identified a mechanism used by the tuberculosis bacterium to evade the body's immune system and have identified a compound that blocks the bacterium's ability to survive in the host, which could lead to new drugs to treat tuberculosis.

16 Feb 2010

Researchers discover chemical compound to combat malaria and bacterial diseases

Researchers report that they have discovered - and now know how to exploit - an unusual chemical reaction mechanism that allows malaria parasites and many disease-causing bacteria to survive. The research team, from the University of Illinois, also has developed the first potent inhibitor of this chemical reaction.

16 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

UC experts recommend binational prevention efforts for TB and HIV infections

The results of an innovative study to understand what factors may influence who contracts tuberculosis (TB)/HIV co-infection in San Diego show a significant shift in the ethnic makeup of the disease, with the majority of cases now coming from the Hispanic community.

11 Feb 2010

Catalysis Foundation for Health to discover new TB biomarkers with $5M Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant

The Catalysis Foundation for Health (Catalysis), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit entity dedicated to developing sustainable diagnostics for the developing world, announced today that it has received a $5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant money will be used to discover new tuberculosis (TB) biomarkers that can be used to improve diagnostic tests and potentially develop more effective TB treatments.

10 Feb 2010

Tuberculosis News and Research

Latest Tuberculosis News and Research

Antiretroviral therapy reduces mortality rates in patients co-infected with HIV and TB

Lack of knowledge and awareness impeding efforts to control HBV and HCV

PointCare Technologies donates rapid PointCare NOW tests to Haitian clinics

Alliance Biosciences to provide engineering and biosafety guidance for Nyumbani's HIV/TB diagnostic facility

ViiV Healthcare highlights S/GSK1349572, SELZENTRY and EPZICOM for HIV/AIDS at 17th CROI

FDA grants EUA for Longhorn Influenza A/H1N1-09 Prime RRT-PCR Assay in CLIA high complexity laboratories

Also in global health news: Global Fund; MDGs, women; polio eradication

Menssana Research develops 85% accurate breath test for pulmonary tuberculosis

Global rules barring TB patients from flying are too stringent, study says

AAAS meeting examines test-and-treat model's potential for fighting HIV spread, TB co-infection

Recent releases in Global Health

Rib-X Pharmaceuticals co-founder discovers new ribosomal structures of antibiotics

State policy developments: Wisconsin's new 'public option,' Iowa's medical marijuana vote, and more

Phase III data reveals potential of Merck’s GARDASIL in preventing HPV and HPV-related cancers

Study demonstrates once-a-week TB drug is as effective as daily dose

TB's mechanism to evade body's immune system identified

Researchers discover chemical compound to combat malaria and bacterial diseases

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

UC experts recommend binational prevention efforts for TB and HIV infections

Catalysis Foundation for Health to discover new TB biomarkers with $5M Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Precision in every drop: Inside Hamilton’s syringe technology

Tuberculosis News and Research

Latest Tuberculosis News and Research

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Precision in every drop: Inside Hamilton’s syringe technology

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