Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

National Institutes of Health grants $6-million for brain disease research

Brown University, in collaboration with two other institutions, has been awarded a five-year, $6-million National Institutes of Health program project grant to help determine how a virus that can cause a rare brain disease attaches to host cells.

6 Nov 2009

H1N1 is now most dominant flu strain worldwide, WHO says

The H1N1 (swine flu) virus is now the dominant flu strain worldwide, the WHO reported Thursday, with the virus accounting for up to 70 percent of the flu viruses sampled in some countries, the Associated Press reports.

6 Nov 2009

Eggs sensitivity and flu shot: Doctors' dilemma

"My three year old had a skin breakout we think was due to eggs - is it safe to do a flu shot?" It's a question being asked to every doctor who takes care of kids during flu season. "On the one hand we are concerned about the devastating effects of the new strain of flu, and on the other we aren't sure if a history of eggs sensitivity is enough to hold the shot or spray," said Bobby Q. Lanier, M.D., clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of North Texas HSC in Fort Worth, Texas, and executive medical director of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

6 Nov 2009

New findings may lead to novel therapeutic approaches for HIV and prostate cancer

New Haven, Conn.-Researchers at Yale University have developed synthetic molecules capable of enhancing the body's immune response to HIV and HIV-infected cells, as well as to prostate cancer cells. Their findings, published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for these diseases.

6 Nov 2009

H1N1 Contingency Plan for business associations

IMW Consultants helps businesses limit financial losses from swine flu with a contingency plan that can be implemented in just a few hours.

6 Nov 2009

Gene therapy saves two children with adrenoleukodystrophy

The ELA association and Zinedine Zidane, its emblematic ambassador, are proud to announce a world premiere: the results regaring the gene therapy in adrenoleukodystrophy conducted in France have just been published in the prestigious journal Science. Two children have been treated and their diseases have been halted. The children are doing well, which is unexpected for a disease destroying the brain in a few months. This discovery opens up treatment perspectives for numerous widespread diseases.

6 Nov 2009

Physicians concern about the spread of H1N1 virus and the availability of H1N1 vaccine

According to a Panel Intelligence survey of 50 primary care physicians, there are significant concerns about the H1N1 virus not just in terms of disease prevalence and vaccine shortages, but also in that 38% of the physicians surveyed (PCPs, pediatricians, and gerontologists) are "very concerned" about the virus evolving into a more serious strain and another 52% have moderate concerns about such a development.

6 Nov 2009

Alliance Québécoise du Psoriasis provides information concerning H1N1 vaccination campaign

The Alliance Québécoise du Psoriasis (Quebec psoriasis alliance) would like to give its members and other psoriasis sufferers information concerning the massive H1N1 vaccination campaign.

6 Nov 2009

Unum enhances the wellness benefit of its critical illness products by adding H1N1 vaccine

Unum has enhanced the wellness benefit of its critical illness products by adding the H1N1 vaccine to the list of qualifying procedures.

6 Nov 2009

HHS announces contract awards for up to 120,000 treatment courses of intravenous antiviral drugs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced contract awards for up to 120,000 treatment courses of intravenous (IV) antiviral drugs to help treat hospitalized 2009 H1N1 influenza patients.

6 Nov 2009

U.S. health officials offer no prediction of when all high-risk groups will have access to H1N1 vaccine

U.S. health officials briefing Congress on Wednesday would not outline a timeline for when enough H1N1 (swine flu) vaccines would be available to reach all high-risk populations in the country, the Washington Post reports.

5 Nov 2009

Oncolytics Biotech reports financial results for the third quarter of 2009

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. today announced its financial results for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2009.

5 Nov 2009

Idera Pharmaceuticals announces financial results for the third quarter of 2009

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009.

5 Nov 2009

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals presents new data related to its overall delivery research efforts

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that it presented new data related to its overall delivery research efforts including the rational design of Mimetic Lipoprotein Particles, or MLPs, a novel technology for the systemic delivery of small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, the molecules that mediate RNAi.

5 Nov 2009

Japanese data suggests a protocol for schools to follow during H1N! pandemic

As flu season approaches, parents around the country are starting to face school closures. But how bad should an influenza outbreak be for a school to shut down? A study led by epidemiologists John Brownstein, PhD, and Anne Gatewood Hoen, PhD of the Children's Hospital Boston Informatics Program, in collaboration Asami Sasaki of the University of Niigata Prefecture (Niigata, Japan), tapped a detailed set of Japanese data to help guide decision making by schools and government agencies.

5 Nov 2009

Phadia offers ImmunoCAP, a reliable test to accurately diagnose the severity of egg allergy

The World Health Organization recently declared H1N1 swine flu a global pandemic, resulting in the creation of rigorous vaccination programs worldwide. Children are among those considered particularly susceptible to contracting swine flu and are viewed as a top priority in receiving this vaccine.

5 Nov 2009

Online self-assessment tool on MayoClinic.com helps assess flu symptoms

The flu symptoms self-assessment tool on MayoClinic.com helps you assess whether you or your loved ones have some form of flu, or just a cold. If you possibly or likely have the flu, you'll also learn whether antiviral medication is an option. And you can check a concise list of high-risk groups who should seek medical attention for the flu.

5 Nov 2009

NIAID funds CCHI and IMVC programs to help identify new vaccines for emerging infectious diseases

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded approximately $208 million to two programs that support research to better understand the human immune response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including those that may be introduced into a community through acts of bioterrorism.

5 Nov 2009

USPTO awards Peregrine Pharmaceuticals patent for anti-viral uses of phosphatidylserine targeting antibodies

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent Number 7,611,704, which includes broad claims covering anti-viral uses of phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting antibodies including Peregrine's lead clinical compound, bavituximab. PS is a unique marker exposed on the surface of virally infected cells that can be targeted to treat a broad spectrum of virus infections.

5 Nov 2009

House legislation seeks 5 days of sick leave for workers

In an effort to rein in the spread of the H1N1 Flu, Representative George Miller, the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, introduced legislation on Tuesday that would guarantee five paid sick days for workers sent home by their employers with a contagious illness. Mr. Miller, Democrat of California, voiced concern that more than 40 million workers did not have paid sick days and that many workers coming into contact with public — like restaurant or school cafeteria employees — would go to work with H1N1 and spread the virus if they could not afford to stay home.

5 Nov 2009

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

National Institutes of Health grants $6-million for brain disease research

H1N1 is now most dominant flu strain worldwide, WHO says

Eggs sensitivity and flu shot: Doctors' dilemma

New findings may lead to novel therapeutic approaches for HIV and prostate cancer

H1N1 Contingency Plan for business associations

Gene therapy saves two children with adrenoleukodystrophy

Physicians concern about the spread of H1N1 virus and the availability of H1N1 vaccine

Alliance Québécoise du Psoriasis provides information concerning H1N1 vaccination campaign

Unum enhances the wellness benefit of its critical illness products by adding H1N1 vaccine

HHS announces contract awards for up to 120,000 treatment courses of intravenous antiviral drugs

U.S. health officials offer no prediction of when all high-risk groups will have access to H1N1 vaccine

Oncolytics Biotech reports financial results for the third quarter of 2009

Idera Pharmaceuticals announces financial results for the third quarter of 2009

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals presents new data related to its overall delivery research efforts

Japanese data suggests a protocol for schools to follow during H1N! pandemic

Phadia offers ImmunoCAP, a reliable test to accurately diagnose the severity of egg allergy

Online self-assessment tool on MayoClinic.com helps assess flu symptoms

NIAID funds CCHI and IMVC programs to help identify new vaccines for emerging infectious diseases

USPTO awards Peregrine Pharmaceuticals patent for anti-viral uses of phosphatidylserine targeting antibodies

House legislation seeks 5 days of sick leave for workers

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