Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

New test to detect early stage liver cancer

Cancer of the liver is very difficult to detect, and it is a major cause of death in Asia and Africa, with rising incidence in Western countries as well.

9 Aug 2007

Second bird flu death in Vietnam in a week

Vietnamese authorities have confirmed another new bird-flu death, this time the victim is a 15-year-old boy.

8 Aug 2007

The finger of suspicion for UK foot and mouth outbreak points at nearby labs

Investigations into the foot and mouth outbreak in Britain points the finger of suspicion for the source of the infection to the nearby research centres.

8 Aug 2007

Good old fashioned measures may still save lives in a pandemic

Researchers in the United States have discovered that public health measures such as quarantines, school closings and bans on public gatherings greatly reduce the death toll in flu pandemics.

8 Aug 2007

More cattle culled in UK foot and mouth outbreak

Britain's chief veterinary officer has said the threat of the current outbreak of foot and mouth disease spreading beyond Surrey is minimal.

8 Aug 2007

Even older women at high risk have little interest in being tested for HIV

Few older women were interested in being tested for the virus that causes AIDS despite having significant risk factors for lifetime exposure, according to a study published in the July/August edition of the Journal of Women's Health.

8 Aug 2007

Indonesia reluctant when it comes to sharing bird flu samples

Indonesia, the country with the highest number of human deaths from the bird flu, remains reluctant to share samples of live bird flu virus for research.

7 Aug 2007

U.S. stocks up again on bird flu vaccine

The Department of Health and Human Services in the United States has ordered more doses of the avian flu vaccine from the international pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

7 Aug 2007

Outbreak of Marburg in Uganda has authorities on high alert

Health officials in western Uganda believe the latest outbreak of the Marburg virus may have originated from a monkey.

7 Aug 2007

Foot and mouth outbreak in the UK calls into question the safety of labs researching dangerous diseases

A second herd of cattle on another farm in England has been culled because of foot and mouth disease.

7 Aug 2007

Scientists tackle gene doping in athletes

Gene doping has the potential to spawn athletes capable of out-running, out-jumping and out-cycling the strongest of champions.

7 Aug 2007

FDA approves maraviroc, an antiretroviral drug for use in adult HIV patients.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved maraviroc, an antiretroviral drug for use in adult HIV patients. Maraviroc, sold under the trade name Selzentry, is the first in a new class of drugs designed to slow the advancement of HIV and received priority review by the FDA.

7 Aug 2007

GlaxoSmithKline receives bulk H5N1 antigen order for the US national stockpile

GlaxoSmithKline has announced that HHS has placed another order to purchase bulk H5N1 antigen for the US national stockpile of pre-pandemic vaccines.

6 Aug 2007

Medic to sue Gaddafi for holding him hostage

One of the six medics imprisoned by Libyan authorities for allegedly deliberately infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV, plans to sue Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi.

6 Aug 2007

Foot and mouth disease flying on the wind?

Although tests carried out by biosafety experts in Britain have revealed the strain of foot and mouth disease found in cattle is the same as that used in vaccine production at a nearby animal health research facility, no apparent breach of biosecurity measures has been found.

6 Aug 2007

Bird flu put 51 in quarantine in Manipur

India's health ministry says 51 people in Manipur have been quarantined following an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of influenza in chickens last month in the northeastern Indian state.

6 Aug 2007

Innovative gene therapy research for muscular dystrophy

A major grant of approximately $10 million from the National Institutes of Health will help investigators at Columbus Children's Research Institute (CCRI) at Columbus Children's Hospital learn more about strategies to treat muscular dystrophy, potentially leading to two new gene therapy approaches.

3 Aug 2007