Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

California's first human death from West Nile virus (WNV)

West Nile virus (WNV) has claimed the life of a 57-year old Orange County man, making him the first to die in California from the virus, Dr. Richard Joseph Jackson, state public health officer, announced today.

26 Jul 2004

Latin America still not faced a large-scale AIDS epidemic

Although the risk patterns that favor the expansion of HIV are very widespread, the majority of the countries of Latin America have still not faced a large-scale AIDS epidemic, according to a publication by the Pan American Health Organization and the World Bank.

26 Jul 2004

First human case of West Nile virus in Pennsylvania this year

The Pennsylvania Health Department today reported the first human case of West Nile virus in Pennsylvania this year. The individual is a 36-year-old Bucks County man.

26 Jul 2004

Researchers discover a mechanism that blocks replication of a retrovirus

A team of scientists led by University of Georgia researchers has discovered a naturally occurring mechanism that blocks a critical step late in retrovirus replication.

21 Jul 2004

Computer modeling method for mapping the evolution of the influenza virus

A University of California scientist working at Los Alamos National Laboratory with collaborators from the University of Cambridge (England) and the World Health Organization National Influenza Center at Erasmus Medical Center, (Rotterdam, Netherlands) have developed a computer modeling method for mapping the evolution of the influenza virus.

21 Jul 2004

Illinois bill that allows people with HIV to donate organs to other people who are HIV-positive

The bill was written by state representative Larry McKeon, who has HIV, and signed by Governor Rod R. Blagojevich. In the past, people with HIV were not considered good candidates for transplantation because of a reduced life expectancy. Drug treatments are now more advanced, and people with HIV are living longer.

21 Jul 2004

World's first personal facemask for SARS protection

Triosyn Corp., a developer of products aimed at protecting against microbial threats, announced today that tests conducted by Health Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory show that Triosyn T-1000™ Series Respirators protect against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

21 Jul 2004

Roche files for application with FDA to market hepatitis C medication Pegasys(R) for chronic hepatitis B treatment

Roche announced today the submission of a supplemental new biologics license application (sBLA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market Pegasys(R) (peginterferon alfa-2a) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

21 Jul 2004

New book predicts a "vaccine century"

A new book published by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) predicts that the 21st century will become the "century of vaccines" thanks to rapid developments in the field of immunization.

21 Jul 2004

What are the chances of an individual in Britain contracting HIV or developing AIDS?

Being Positive, a two-part investigative Open University/BBC series for BBC Three, examines the nature of the virus, how it works and the history of the development of HIV drug treatments. Part one, Dead Unlucky and part two, Dead Lucky, showing on BBC Three on Thursday, July 29th and Thursday August 5th at 9.30pm follow the stories of people who have been infected.

20 Jul 2004

Russian scientists incorporate HIV antigen into a tomato

Russian scientists are currently creating a pleasant and harmless vaccine, and edible one at that. So far, they managed to incorporate the protein gene – HIV antigen in tomatoes. The research is supported by International Science and Technology Center.

19 Jul 2004

West Nile Virus in South Dakota

West Nile virus (WNV) was first detected in the Western Hemisphere in 1999 in New York City. The virus spread west across the continent, reaching South Dakota in 2002.

19 Jul 2004

Virginia mans dies from Hantavirus disease

The Virginia Department of Health announced last week that a man from the New River Health District in Southwest Virginia has died from Hantavirus disease.

19 Jul 2004

The best way to avoid infection from mosquito bites is to flick not squash

An article published in this month's New England Journal of Medicine suggests that the best way to avoid infection from mosquito bites is to actually flick them away rather than squashing them into the skin.

19 Jul 2004

Culling wild birds won't help battle agianst H5N1 avian influenza strain

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations health agency has warned of the possible emergence of an avian influenza strain capable of sparking a deadly global human pandemic and has also urged countries in Asia not to cull wild birds in response to recent outbreaks of avian influenza in China, Thailand and Viet Nam.

19 Jul 2004

The cervical screening programme has saved Britain from an epidemic of cervical cancer

Cancer Research UK scientists estimate in a report published today that systematic cervical screening, introduced in 1988, is preventing up to 5,000 deaths a year from the disease in Britain.

16 Jul 2004

Arizona human cases of West Nile virus reach 114

A sharp increase in the number of human West Nile virus cases in Arizona is prompting health officials to urge all Arizonans to take steps to protect themselves, their families, friends, and neighbors.

16 Jul 2004

Online database of AIDS-related protein structures

Researchers who are either developing drug treatments for AIDS or studying the virus that causes the disease have a new resource - an online database of AIDS-related protein structures just unveiled for public use by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

16 Jul 2004

Success of the UK’s national screening programme for cervical cancer

An epidemiological study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET highlights the success of the UK’s national screening programme for cervical cancer introduced in 1988.

15 Jul 2004

Research team developing new defenses against plague and smallpox

Using a federal biodefense grant, a Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center team will try to develop new approaches to immunizing people against the plague and smallpox, two of the most feared potential agents of bio-terrorism.

15 Jul 2004