Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

HCV progresses more rapidly after liver transplantation in African-Americans compared to whites

Previous studies have shown that hepatitis C virus (HCV) progresses slower prior to liver transplantation in African Americans than in whites. However, researchers demonstrate in this study, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, that the opposite is true after transplantation, in that recurrent HCV in the transplanted liver progresses faster in African Americans than in whites.

1 Nov 2009

Scientists report a major step forward in the development of an effective therapy against Nipah virus

A collaborative research team from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), Australian Animal Health Laboratory and National Cancer Institute, a component of the National Institutes of Health, reports a major step forward in the development of an effective therapy against two deadly viruses, Nipah virus and the related Hendra virus.

31 Oct 2009

Canada's doctors thank government for easing sick note requirements during H1N1 pandemic

Canadian Medical Association President Dr. Anne Doig commended the federal government today for easing its requirements for sick notes during the H1N1 pandemic.

31 Oct 2009

Four abstracts on RSV and influenza prevention in pediatric health to be presented

MedImmune announced today it will present four abstracts at the 47th Annual Meeting of Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) being held here October 29 through November 1, 2009. These abstracts advance the body of data surrounding respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza prevention, highlighting MedImmune's leadership in pediatric health.

31 Oct 2009

MMR Information Systems offers free guide to Personal Health Records

MMR Information Systems, Inc. announced today that it is offering a free guide to Personal Health Records ("PHRs") by Dr. Arnold W. Klein, a world-renowned Beverly Hills Dermatologist, through its MyMedicalRecords PHR website www.mymedicalrecords.com. The Company made the announcement in response to the White House declaring the H1N1 "Swine Flu" virus a National Emergency.

31 Oct 2009

Requests to compound liquid Tamiflu have steadily increased over the past couple of weeks

There has been a lot of information about the importance of taking preventative measures against H1N1, primarily through vaccination. But what if a person has already contracted H1N1? What if that person is a young child?

31 Oct 2009

Immunotherapy, a new therapeutic area to destroy tumor cells

Targeted immunotherapy has been an attractive new therapeutic area for a number of cancers because it has the potential to destroy tumor cells without damaging surrounding normal tissue. New study results demonstrate high success rates using specialized white blood cells to prevent or treat lymphoma associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV-lymphoma) in patients who have received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).

31 Oct 2009

Women may need smaller dose of H1N1 vaccine

THE emergence of the H1N1 swine flu has added urgency to what has become an annual ritual for millions of Americans: getting a flu shot. The good news is that scientists have developed a vaccine against the H1N1 virus. But it is taking much longer than expected to produce the hundreds of millions of doses the government had planned to distribute. And it is still too soon to know how effective the vaccine will be in preventing swine flu.

31 Oct 2009

New York Times examines efforts underway to prevent spread of H1N1 during Hajj

The New York Times examines how Saudi Arabia is preparing for the upcoming annual pilgrimage of some "2.5 million people from 160 countries" to Mecca, some who "will be bringing the swine flu. The Saudi authorities, fearing that the hajj could turn their holy city into a petri dish for viral mutations and a hub for spreading a new pandemic wave around the world, are working hard to head that off," the newspaper writes.

31 Oct 2009

Research suggests the possibility of an effective treatment for Hendra virus infections in humans

A scientific team from CSIRO and the US has demonstrated that administering human monoclonal antibodies after exposure to Nipah virus, which is closely related to Hendra virus, protected animals from challenge in a disease model.

31 Oct 2009

Administration officially ends HIV travel ban

The Washington Post reports: "President Obama called the 22-year ban on travel and immigration by HIV-positive individuals a decision 'rooted in fear rather than fact' and announced the end of the rule-making process lifting the ban.

31 Oct 2009

Researchers report an epidemic of sexually-transmitted HCV infection among HIV-infected men in NY City

Researchers in New York City are reporting their work uncovering a new epidemic of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) who have HIV infection.

30 Oct 2009

CDC study finds swine flu may have infected as many as 5.7 million Americans

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released new swine flue estimates that suggest the number of people affected by the disease is much greater than the 43,677 cases confirmed earlier.

30 Oct 2009

Patients on immunosuppressant medication can receive H1N1 vaccine in the form of shots

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have classified all children, 6-months to 24-years, one of the high risk groups for contracting the H1N1 (swine) flu, and recommend this population receive the H1N1 vaccine for immunity against the disease.

30 Oct 2009

Scientists present new perspective on antigenic drift of flu viruses

Influenza viruses evade infection-fighting antibodies by constantly changing the shape of their major surface protein. This shape-shifting, called antigenic drift, is why influenza vaccines-which are designed to elicit antibodies matched to each year's circulating virus strains-must be reformulated annually.

30 Oct 2009

Most children visit hospitals with mild flu-like symptoms and fever

The CHU Sainte-Justine and The Montreal Children's Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre are currently seeing a significant increase in patients in their Emergency Departments. Children are arriving with mild flu-like symptoms and fever.

30 Oct 2009

Viral protein could be a major player in SARS virulence

Ever since the previously unknown SARS virus emerged from southern China in 2003, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston virologists have focused on finding the source of the pathogen's virulence - its ability to cause disease. In the 2003 epidemic, for example, between 5 and 10 percent of those who fell sick from the SARS virus died, adding up to more than 900 fatalities worldwide.

30 Oct 2009

Risk of serious flu-related sickness far outpaces risk of injectable vaccine in pregnant women

Pregnant women who catch the flu are at serious risk for flu-related complications, including death, and that risk far outweighs the risk of possible side effects from injectable vaccines containing killed virus, according to an extensive review of published research and data from previous flu seasons.

30 Oct 2009

AMERIGROUP announces financial results for the third quarter of 2009

AMERIGROUP Corporation today announced that net income for the third quarter of 2009 was $22.5 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, versus $37.9 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2008. Third quarter earnings are in line with the preliminary earnings range that the Company issued on October 26, 2009, and reflect elevated medical costs associated with the onset of what appears to be a severe flu season due to the H1N1 virus.

30 Oct 2009

Mintel predicts increased sales of OTC drugs in upcoming months

Autumn has arrived in the northern hemisphere and with shades of yellow and orange comes a less-welcome visitor: cold and flu season. Made worse this year by the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic, people around the world are flocking to drugstores and supermarkets to stock up on over-the-counter (OTC) medicine, says market research firm Mintel.

30 Oct 2009

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

HCV progresses more rapidly after liver transplantation in African-Americans compared to whites

Scientists report a major step forward in the development of an effective therapy against Nipah virus

Canada's doctors thank government for easing sick note requirements during H1N1 pandemic

Four abstracts on RSV and influenza prevention in pediatric health to be presented

MMR Information Systems offers free guide to Personal Health Records

Requests to compound liquid Tamiflu have steadily increased over the past couple of weeks

Immunotherapy, a new therapeutic area to destroy tumor cells

Women may need smaller dose of H1N1 vaccine

New York Times examines efforts underway to prevent spread of H1N1 during Hajj

Research suggests the possibility of an effective treatment for Hendra virus infections in humans

Administration officially ends HIV travel ban

Researchers report an epidemic of sexually-transmitted HCV infection among HIV-infected men in NY City

CDC study finds swine flu may have infected as many as 5.7 million Americans

Patients on immunosuppressant medication can receive H1N1 vaccine in the form of shots

Scientists present new perspective on antigenic drift of flu viruses

Most children visit hospitals with mild flu-like symptoms and fever

Viral protein could be a major player in SARS virulence

Risk of serious flu-related sickness far outpaces risk of injectable vaccine in pregnant women

AMERIGROUP announces financial results for the third quarter of 2009

Mintel predicts increased sales of OTC drugs in upcoming months

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

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