Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Intranasal influenza vaccine may help induce broader immunity in children than the traditional flu shot

MedImmune, Inc. has announced clinical data showing that a live, attenuated intranasal influenza vaccine (LAIV) may help induce broader immunity in children against drifted influenza strains when compared to the traditional flu shot (TIV).

2 May 2004

Once expected to die in early childhood, children born with HIV are now surviving into their teens

Once expected to die in early childhood, children born with HIV are now surviving into their teens and early adulthood thanks to research advances over the past decade. However, it's also likely these children will develop drug resistance due to sequential exposure to HIV treatments, including antiretroviral (ARV) therapies.

2 May 2004

Zoonoses, diseases transmitted from animals to humans

The World Health Organization (WHO) is hosting a three-day consultation to identify the factors that allow diseases to jump from animals to humans (zoonoses), as well as to improve surveillance systems for their monitoring and control.

1 May 2004

Health Canada urges Canadians to protect against West Nile Virus

Health Canada and its partners are reminding Canadians to take active steps to protect themselves from the risk of West Nile Virus.

29 Apr 2004

Chinese authorities announce 9th suspected SARS case

Chinese health authorities have announced that an additional case of SARS is under investigation. This brings the total number of cases in China, reported since 22 April, to nine. Of these, one has died.

29 Apr 2004

Pennsylvania launches West Nile virus surveillance program

Officials from the state departments of Agriculture, Environmental Protection and Health today joined representatives from Cumberland and Dauphin counties to launch Pennsylvania’s program to detect and control mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus.

28 Apr 2004

Two outbreaks in humans of deadly Nipah virus in reported Bangladesh

Wildlife Trust's Consortium for Conservation Medicine reports that the World Health Organization (WHO) has now confirmed two recent outbreaks in humans of deadly Nipah virus in Bangladesh. The Consortium has been researching the origins of Nipah virus under a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

28 Apr 2004

HIV drug market will grow to an $8 billion industry by 2013

Decision Resources, Inc., a research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and health care issues, forecasts that the HIV drug market will grow to more than $8 billion by 2013.

28 Apr 2004

Hong Kong officials review laboratory safety procedures

In view of current events on mainland China, The Centre for Health Protection's, Dr P Y Leung, today (April 27) called a meeting with representatives of the Department of Health (DH), Hospital Authority and universities to review laboratory safety procedures in Hong Kong.

28 Apr 2004

Tips to avoid Lyme disease and West Nile virus

What's bugging you now that spring is here? Probably the same thing that's bugging your child -– mosquitoes, ticks and other flying, crawling, or creeping creatures of the great outdoors. Not only are these bugs' bites and stings painful and itchy, the potential health risk of insect-borne diseases -- such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus

28 Apr 2004

Experimental smallpox DNA vaccine

In the first successful study of its kind, scientists have shown that a DNA-based vaccine for smallpox can protect nonhuman primates from monkeypox, a disease that resembles smallpox in humans.

27 Apr 2004

Canadian company requested to ship Dengue Fever test kits to Hong Kong immediately

Medical Services International Inc. has announced that it has been requested to ship VScan Dengue Fever test kits to Hong Kong immediately.

27 Apr 2004

Experimental immune-boosting drug interleukin-2 helps HIV Patients

National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists report that brief, widely-spaced courses of the experimental immune-boosting drug interleukin-2 (IL-2) allow people with HIV to maintain near normal levels of a key immune system cell for long periods.

26 Apr 2004

SARS antibody sent to China

Responding to a request from a Chinese biotechnology company working closely with officials in China, Medarex, Inc. and the Massachusetts Biologic Laboratories (MBL) of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) have shipped to Beijing a sample of the fully human antibody to SARS developed by Medarex and MBL/UMMS.

26 Apr 2004

Australia's health system is on alert for SARS

Australia's health system is on alert to detect any possible cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) following reports of four possible SARS cases in China, including one death.

25 Apr 2004

Los Angeles health officials urge public to take preventative measures against West Nile virus

Los Angeles health officials have issued a statement urging the public to take precautions against mosquitoes after crows in the county tested positive for the West Nile virus. "These findings are a clear warning that the virus is continuing to circulate and amplify in the environment. Now is the time to take precautions," said Steve West of the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

24 Apr 2004

Overview of West Nile virus before season starts

West Nile virus is a newly emergent virus of the family Flaviviridae, found in both tropical and temperate regions. It mainly infects birds, but is also the cause of a number of conditions in humans, horses, and some other mammals. It is transmitted by bites of infected mosquitoes.

24 Apr 2004