Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

H1N1 reported in Gaza, Southern Sudan

Two women have become the first to die from H1N1 (swine flu) in Gaza, health officials said Monday, Agence France-Presse/Inquirer.net reports. The announcement came after five patients were confirmed to have H1N1 - the first cases in the region.

7 Dec 2009

AHF hosts free rapid HIV testing in conjunction with Faithful Central Bible Church

In observation of World AIDS Day 2009, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS group which currently provides more than 15,000 free HIV and STD tests annually in California via its community-based testing programs, is hosting a day of free rapid HIV testing in conjunction with Faithful Central Bible Church this Sunday December 6th starting at 6:00am going until 4:00pm at the congregation’s church in Inglewood (321 Eucalyptus Street, Inglewood, 90301).

7 Dec 2009

CDC announces the start of National Influenza Vaccination Week

Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the start of National Influenza Vaccination Week. While the week was designed to highlight the importance of flu vaccinations, it also brings to light the importance of taking additional steps to keep you and your family healthy during the peak cold and flu season of December, January and beyond.

7 Dec 2009

Norovirus-related illnesses linked to eating oysters, reveals report

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers to avoid eating oysters harvested from the San Antonio Bay on or after Nov. 16 due to reports of norovirus-associated illnesses in some people who had consumed oysters harvested from this area, which is located on the Gulf of Texas.

7 Dec 2009

Chicken pox vaccine also reduces risk of herpes zoster in children

Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is very rare among children who have been vaccinated against chicken pox, according to a Kaiser Permanente study in the December issue of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal.

5 Dec 2009

Comparative study on African monkeys may provide novel targets for AIDS therapy

Two studies published this month in the Journal of Clinical Investigation provide a significant advance in understanding how some species of monkeys such as sooty mangabeys and African green monkeys avoid AIDS when infected with SIV, the simian equivalent of HIV.

5 Dec 2009

Tips to prevent H1N1 infection

National Handwashing Awareness Week is from Dec. 6 to 12, and a Geisinger physician advises that with the presence of the H1N1 virus this year, handwashing is more important than ever.

5 Dec 2009

Scientists report cervarix vaccine offers protection against cervical cancer

The Cervarix vaccine provides protection against two types of human papillomavirus (HPV) for more than six years, US scientists have reported.

5 Dec 2009

Too early to declare end of H1N1 pandemic, WHO says

Though there are signs the H1N1 (swine flu) has peaked in the U.S. and Canada, a WHO flu expert said Thursday it is too early to declare the pandemic over, Canadian Press reports.

4 Dec 2009

New York Times examines HIV testing program in China

The New York Times examines an HIV prevention program in China aimed at promoting blood screening that has led "more than 110,000 people" to be tested so far: "On any given night, in 14 cities around the country, hundreds of people flock to makeshift blood collection centers in bars, bathhouses and apartments where workers test for syphilis and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS."

4 Dec 2009

Habitat destruction and biodiversity loss can increase the incidence of infectious diseases

The extinction of plant and animal species can be likened to emptying a museum of its collection, or dumping a cabinet full of potential medicines into the trash, or replacing every local cuisine with McDonald's burgers.

4 Dec 2009

New SPC3649 drug found effective in treating HCV infections

In a dramatic finding, a new drug for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections that targets liver cells produced a substantial drop in blood levels of the virus in animals and continued to work up to several months after treatment, say scientists at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) in San Antonio.

4 Dec 2009

Santaris Pharma's LNA technology based microRNA-targeted therapy holds promise for HCV

A study published online in this week's Science shows that SPC3649, a breakthrough microRNA-targeted therapy developed by Santaris Pharma A/S using its proprietary Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) technology, holds promise as a novel treatment for patients infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV).

4 Dec 2009

Scientists discover mechanism by which E6 oncoprotein of high-risk HPV16 promotes carcinogenesis

In the 1980s, Harald zur Hausen and his co-workers discovered that specific types of human papillomavirus (HPV) cause cervical cancer. Scientists soon found out how these pathogens cause cells to degenerate. It is known today that the main culprits are viral proteins E6 and E7. Both proteins switch off different cellular control functions, thus promoting cell growth.

4 Dec 2009

Integrative medicine and treatment strategies for the H1N1 infection discussed at the Buchang Forum

According to the World Health Organization, the human H1N1/09 Type A influenza ("Swine Flu") has reached a pandemic level. Over 500,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide with at least 6,500 fatalities. Since there is no longer a requirement to test and report individual cases, these numbers undoubtedly understate the real situation.

4 Dec 2009

Vaccination, social distancing and antiviral drugs may help lessen swine flu impact

The relatively low number of new cases created by a single case of H1N1 influenza indicates that mitigation strategies such as vaccination, social distancing and the use of antiviral drugs may help to lessen the final impact of the virus, suggests an epidemiological modelling study

4 Dec 2009

New medical-scientific article on A/H1N1 epidemic

A special issue of Deutsches -rzteblatt International contains the first scientific presentation of clinical experience with the novel influenza A virus (H1N1/09) in the German-speaking countries since the start of the pandemic.

4 Dec 2009

Expert advice for organ transplant surgeons on clinical issues posed by swine flu pandemic

Surgeons and other healthcare professionals specialising in solid organ transplants have been issued with expert advice to guide them through the complex clinical issues posed by the global H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic.

4 Dec 2009

WHO investigates Tamiflu resistance, updates antiviral recommendations for H1N1 patients with severely compromised immune systems

Following recent reports of clusters of Tamiflu resistance, the WHO on Wednesday recommended that patients with severely weakened immune systems who become infected with the H1N1 (swine flu) virus receive additional antiviral treatment as needed throughout the duration of their illness, Agence France-Presse reports. "

4 Dec 2009

Opinions: Media coverage of HIV/AIDS; WTO and global health; G8, HIV/AIDS; stopping syringe reuse

In a New Republic/NPR opinion piece, Harold Pollack, an associate professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, looks at the media's coverage of World AIDS Day. "Almost six thousand people died of AIDS [Tuesday]. ... That it happened to be World AIDS Day was almost incidental. AIDS was certainly incidental to much of the mainstream media.

4 Dec 2009

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

H1N1 reported in Gaza, Southern Sudan

AHF hosts free rapid HIV testing in conjunction with Faithful Central Bible Church

CDC announces the start of National Influenza Vaccination Week

Norovirus-related illnesses linked to eating oysters, reveals report

Chicken pox vaccine also reduces risk of herpes zoster in children

Comparative study on African monkeys may provide novel targets for AIDS therapy

Tips to prevent H1N1 infection

Scientists report cervarix vaccine offers protection against cervical cancer

Too early to declare end of H1N1 pandemic, WHO says

New York Times examines HIV testing program in China

Habitat destruction and biodiversity loss can increase the incidence of infectious diseases

New SPC3649 drug found effective in treating HCV infections

Santaris Pharma's LNA technology based microRNA-targeted therapy holds promise for HCV

Scientists discover mechanism by which E6 oncoprotein of high-risk HPV16 promotes carcinogenesis

Integrative medicine and treatment strategies for the H1N1 infection discussed at the Buchang Forum

Vaccination, social distancing and antiviral drugs may help lessen swine flu impact

New medical-scientific article on A/H1N1 epidemic

Expert advice for organ transplant surgeons on clinical issues posed by swine flu pandemic

WHO investigates Tamiflu resistance, updates antiviral recommendations for H1N1 patients with severely compromised immune systems

Opinions: Media coverage of HIV/AIDS; WTO and global health; G8, HIV/AIDS; stopping syringe reuse

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production