Feature Channels: Infectious Diseases

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Released: 16-Nov-2009 3:40 PM EST
Scientist Begins to Unravel What Makes Pandemic H1N1 Tick
UT Southwestern Medical Center

As the number of deaths related to the pandemic H1N1 virus, commonly known as “swine flu,” continues to rise, researchers have been scrambling to decipher its inner workings and explain why the incidence is lower than expected in older adults.

   
Released: 16-Nov-2009 2:20 PM EST
Public May Find It Hard to Follow Measures to Limit Spread of Infection
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

University of Michigan researchers say that implementing and sustaining infection-limiting measures will be a challenge during pandemics.

Released: 16-Nov-2009 11:35 AM EST
Scientists Put Interactive Flu Tracking at Public's Fingertips
Ohio State University

New methods of studying avian influenza strains and visually mapping their movement around the world will help scientists more quickly learn the behavior of the pandemic H1N1 flu virus, researchers say.

Released: 13-Nov-2009 1:00 PM EST
Nurse Researchers and Educators Reveal the New Faces of HIV/AIDS
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON) faculty are exploring avenues to more effective, community-based prevention and treatment of HIV.

Released: 13-Nov-2009 1:00 PM EST
Business Professors Available for Expert Commentary on Fighting HIV/AIDS
University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Tip sheet of University of Virginia Darden School of Business professors available to comment on the fight against HIV/AIDS and why governments and the private sector must collaborate to win the battle.

Released: 13-Nov-2009 1:00 PM EST
SPOT Targets Area Youth with HIV, STDs
Washington University in St. Louis

The first of its kind in the St. Louis area, the SPOT is a one-stop, drop-in center for youth that will provide testing for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, health care and counseling, social support, prevention and case management services at no cost. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis physicians and staff from a variety of disciplines will provide services.

Released: 13-Nov-2009 1:00 PM EST
Researcher Explores Link Between Social Anxiety and Risky Behaviour Among Same-sex Partners
Toronto Metropolitan University

Why are some men, both HIV-positive and negative, still engaging in risky activities with male partners? Dr. Trevor Hart, director of Ryerson University's HIV Prevention Lab, is on a research mission to find out why.

Released: 13-Nov-2009 1:00 PM EST
$17 Million to UC San Diego for Methamphetamine/AIDS Research
UC San Diego Health

Igor Grant, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and colleagues have been awarded a $17 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to establish the Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center (TMARC) at UC San Diego.

Released: 13-Nov-2009 1:00 PM EST
New Book Examines Impact of AIDS on American Politics
University of Illinois Chicago

A new book by a University of Illinois at Chicago scholar examines how the AIDS epidemic impacted American politics in the 1980s and 1990s and argues that the era was not as politically conservative as it is often characterized.

Released: 13-Nov-2009 1:00 PM EST
Medical Test Manufacturer Donates 4,500 HIV Test Kits for The World AIDS Day 2009 Testing Millions Global Campaign
Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc.

More than 4,500 rapid HIV test kits are being donated to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s 2009 Testing Millions Global Campaign, to commemorate World AIDS Day 2009 on December 1st.

Released: 12-Nov-2009 4:00 PM EST
Role of Statins in Reducing H1N1 Mortality Rates Studied
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers are studying statins, the class of drugs long associated with lowering cholesterol, as a way to reduce H1N1-related deaths.

Released: 12-Nov-2009 2:15 PM EST
Fetal, Infant Risk from Listeria Higher than Previously Reported
Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)

Sickness from the bacteria may occur at lower exposure levels than previously believed.

Released: 11-Nov-2009 11:00 AM EST
Teens Less Likely to Wash Hands, More Likely to Cross-contaminate Raw Food than Adults
Kansas State University

A Kansas State University study has shown that when preparing frozen foods, adolescents are less likely than adults to wash their hands and are more susceptible to cross-contaminating raw foods while cooking.

Released: 10-Nov-2009 8:30 AM EST
HPV Vaccine Clears Viral Infection and May Reduce Cancerous Lesions
Cancer Research Institute

A new vaccine designed to stimulate an immune response against a cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV-16) can eliminate chronic infection by the virus and may cause regression of precancerous genital lesions in women who receive the vaccine.

Released: 9-Nov-2009 1:30 PM EST
Patients With More Difficult to Treat Forms of Hepatitis C are Half as Likely to Treat the Disease
Mount Sinai Health System

A new study by Mount Sinai researchers has for the first time found that patients with more difficult to treat forms of hepatitis C are half as likely to initiate treatment for the disease, when compared to patients with hepatitis C that is easier to treat. Marital status also affected whether patients chose treatment, as did whether or not they had other diseases. The study is published in the November 1 issue of Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.

5-Nov-2009 12:20 PM EST
Scientists Visualize How Bacteria Talk to One Another
UC San Diego Health

Using imaging mass spectrometry, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have developed tools that will enable scientists to visualize how different cell populations of cells communicate. Their study shows how bacteria talk to one another – an understanding that may lead to new therapeutic discoveries for diseases ranging from cancer to diabetes and allergies.

   
Released: 6-Nov-2009 9:10 AM EST
UAB Awarded $11.5 Million to Explore Ways to Test Youth for HIV, Link Them to Care
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Two new grants are for leadership and coordination of the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Intervention (ATN), a research network in the United States and Puerto Rico working to curb the epidemic through prevention, testing and treatment for youth ages 12 to 24. Projections show at least one-half of all new HIV infections each year worldwide are in youth under age 25, says Craig Wilson, M.D., a UAB professor and ATN leader.

Released: 4-Nov-2009 4:00 PM EST
Teen Girls Diagnosed with STI More Likely to Tell and Seek Treatment for Partners After Watching Video
Johns Hopkins Medicine

A study at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center found that girls diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) who watched a short educational video were three times more likely to discuss their condition with their partners and to ensure partner treatment than girls diagnosed and treated without seeing the film.

Released: 4-Nov-2009 10:25 AM EST
New Insight into Predicting Cholera in the Bengal Delta
Tufts University

In Bangladesh cholera epidemics occur twice a year. Scientists have tried, without success, to determine the causes – and advance early detection and prevention efforts. Researchers from Tufts University have proposed a link between cholera and fluctuating water levels in the region's three principal rivers – the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna.

29-Oct-2009 9:00 PM EDT
Report on H1N1 Cases in California Shows Hospitalization Can Occur At All Ages, With Many Severe
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In contrast with some common perceptions regarding 2009 influenza A(H1N1) infections, an examination of cases in California indicates that hospitalization and death can occur at all ages, and about 30 percent of hospitalized cases have been severe enough to require treatment in an intensive care unit, according to a study in the November 4 issue of JAMA.

Released: 3-Nov-2009 12:15 PM EST
Finding May Help Some Tonsil Cancer Patients Avoid Chemotherapy
University Health Network (UHN)

Clinical researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) have confirmed that patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (“tonsil cancer”) harbour a common type of human papilloma virus (HPV16), but also that such cancers are very sensitive to radiation. For some patients, this may mean successful treatment with radiation alone and avoiding the side effects of chemotherapy.

Released: 2-Nov-2009 5:00 PM EST
Study Reveals a "Missing Link" in Immune Response to Disease
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

The immune system's T cells are both jury and executioner. How they shift from one role to another has been a mystery. Dana-Farber investigators report that when a T cell’s “receptors” lock onto antigens, parts of the receptors bend and signal the T cell to change from scanning to fighting mode.

Released: 30-Oct-2009 11:55 AM EDT
MedImmune to Present Four Abstracts on RSV and Influenza at 47th Annual IDSA Meeting
MedImmune

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.

21-Oct-2009 12:10 PM EDT
Whooping Cough Immunity Long-lasting
University of Michigan

Immunity to whooping cough lasts at least 30 years on average, much longer than previously thought, an analysis by researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of New Mexico shows.

27-Oct-2009 10:55 AM EDT
Major Advances Reported in Human Antibody Therapy Against Deadly Nipah Virus
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU)

A collaborative research team from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the Australian Animal Health Laboratory, and the National Cancer Institute, 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.

   
22-Oct-2009 8:45 AM EDT
Foreskin Surface Area and HIV Acquisition: Size Matters
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

Trials find that the risk of male HIV acquisition is increased among men with larger foreskins.

Released: 27-Oct-2009 12:45 PM EDT
Triple-combo Drug Shows Promise Against Antiviral-resistant H1N1
University of Alabama at Birmingham

An experimental drug cocktail that includes three prescriptions now widely available offers the best hope in developing a single agent to treat drug-resistant H1N1 swine flu, says a UAB virology researcher. The combo of oseltamivir, amantadine and ribavirin drug works better than currently recommended single or double antiviral therapies used to treat both seasonal and swine flu strains.

Released: 26-Oct-2009 5:15 PM EDT
Hutchinson Center to Build First U.S. Cancer Clinic and Training Facility in Africa
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Seattle and Ugandan researchers collaborate to study and treat infection-related cancers.

Released: 26-Oct-2009 4:00 PM EDT
Deadly Stomach Infection Rising in Community Settings
Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that a sometimes deadly stomach bug, Clostridium difficile, is on the rise in outpatient settings. Clostridium difficile is a serious bacteria that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. These findings were presented today at the 2009 American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Annual Meeting in San Diego.

22-Oct-2009 1:00 PM EDT
New Combination Therapy Looks Promising Against Ulcer Bacteria
American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)

Results of a new study reveal that a seven-day course of LOAD therapy is superior to LAC at eliminating the H. pylori bacterium in patients with gastritis and peptic ulcers.

Released: 22-Oct-2009 1:55 PM EDT
Taking Medicine for HIV Proves Hard to Swallow for Many People
University of Washington

Two new studies illustrate just how hard it is to make sure people take their HIV medication. One study looked at the effects of drinking alcohol on adherence and showed the risk for non-adherence was double among drinkers compared to abstainers.

Released: 21-Oct-2009 5:00 PM EDT
Researchers Gain Gates Foundation Support for Coffee Ring Stain Diagnostics for Malaria
Vanderbilt University

A pair of Vanderbilt scientists have come up with a novel way to detect malaria infections based on the phenomenon that causes coffee ring stains on the kitchen table and the Gates Foundation has awarded it one of their Grand Challenges Explorations grant.

Released: 21-Oct-2009 3:50 PM EDT
Feelings of Stigmatization May Discourage HIV Patients from Proper Care
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

New research suggests that a large number of HIV-positive individuals who reported feeling stigmatized also reported poor access to care or suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Released: 20-Oct-2009 1:50 PM EDT
U.S. and European Immunologists Launch New Initiative to Improve Reliability and Interpretation of Data Derived from T cell-Based Immune Monitoring Assays
Cancer Research Institute

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) and the Association for Cancer Immunotherapy (CIMT) announce the launch of a global, broad-based initiative to improve the reliability of reports of data derived from T cell-based immune monitoring assays, especially those used in the study of therapeutic vaccines for cancer and infectious diseases.

Released: 18-Oct-2009 5:00 PM EDT
Student Develops New E. coli Vaccine
University of Saskatchewan

Food and water around the world could soon become safer for human consumption thanks to a new cattle vaccine created by University of Saskatchewan graduate student David Asper.

5-Oct-2009 1:00 PM EDT
Only One in Two Adults with Arthritis Likely to Get Seasonal Flu Shots Despite Being Considered an At-risk Group
American College of Rheumatology (ACR)

Only one in two U.S. adults with arthritis received seasonal flu vaccinations in 2007, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Philadelphia, Pa.

Released: 16-Oct-2009 1:30 PM EDT
MedImmune to Present Data on RSV and Influenza at 2009 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition
MedImmune

MedImmune announced today it will present four abstracts at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2009 National Conference & Exhibition that add to the company’s growing body of research on the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) on children, as well as pediatric infectious disease prevention.

Released: 15-Oct-2009 11:45 AM EDT
Do Three Meals a Day Keep Fungi Away?
Albert Einstein College of Medicine

The fact that they eat a lot – and often – may explain why most people and other mammals are protected from the majority of fungal pathogens, according to research from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

Released: 14-Oct-2009 8:30 PM EDT
Flu Surveillance Boosts Control, Treatment Options, Says Travel Clinic Head
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Tracking and understanding the patterns of H1N1’s spread remains crucial to keeping a big-picture look at the disease. Says UAB’s chief of travel medicine, ‘Back in 1918 and 1919 when we had the great flu epidemic, it took six months or more to spread across the world. The new H1N1 swine flu spread across the world in six weeks.’

Released: 14-Oct-2009 11:15 AM EDT
Those with Severe H1N1 at Risk for Pulmonary Emboli
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

University of Michigan researchers find patients with severe H1N1 could develop life-threatening complications, including pulmonary emboli.

Released: 13-Oct-2009 6:15 PM EDT
UNC Researcher Awarded Grant for Anti-diarrhea Vaccine Study in Nicaragua
University of North Carolina Health Care System

A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researcher has been awarded a four-year, $507,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health’s Fogarty International Center to study the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines in the Central American nation of Nicaragua.

8-Oct-2009 10:00 PM EDT
Investigation of Contaminated Heparin Syringes Highlights Medication Safety Issues
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

An outbreak of bloodstream infections appears to have been caused by the contamination of pre-filled heparin and saline syringes made by a single company, according to a report in the October 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. The subsequent investigation revealed that the company was not in compliance with safety regulations and identified challenges and areas for improvement in medication monitoring systems.

Released: 12-Oct-2009 1:15 PM EDT
Researchers Identify Workings of L-Form Bacteria
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have for the first time identified the genetic mechanisms involved in the formation and survival of L-form bacteria. L-form bacteria, which were first discovered in the 1930s, are morphological variants of classical bacteria that lack a cell wall. These bacteria are believed to form in response to cell wall stress from certain antibiotics or the body’s immune attack, and are suspected to be associated with antibiotic-resistant infections.

7-Oct-2009 2:20 PM EDT
High-speed Genetic Analysis Looks Deep Inside Primate Immune System
University of Wisconsin–Madison

Viruses such as HIV and influenza take safe harbor in cells, where they cannot be recognized directly by the immune system. The immune response relies on infected cells announcing the presence of the virus by studding their exterior with fragments of the virus lurking within.

1-Oct-2009 11:30 AM EDT
Scientists Identify Common HPV Genotypes in Northern India, Encourage Vaccination
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)

Although a wide spectrum of human papillomavirus is seen across the population of India, HPV-16 and HPV-18 are the most common types and a vaccination targeting these types could eliminate 75 percent of the cervical cancers in the region, according to data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research Meeting.

8-Oct-2009 11:00 AM EDT
Researchers Identify Mechanism that Helps Bacteria Avoid Destruction in Cells
Thomas Jefferson University

Infectious diseases currently cause about one-third of all human deaths worldwide, more than all forms of cancer combined. Advances in cell biology and microbial genetics have greatly enhanced understanding of the cause and mechanisms of infectious diseases. Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University, the Pasteur Institute in Paris, and Yale University reported in PLoS ONE, a way in which intracellular pathogens exploit the biological attributes of their hosts in order to escape destruction.

Released: 8-Oct-2009 4:00 PM EDT
Scientists Awaiting the Mutation of H1N1
Saint Joseph's University

Infectious disease experts are awaiting an infinitesimal event of momentous importance: the mutation of the novel H1N1 influenza virus. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization are constantly monitoring the virus as it spreads,” says John Tudor, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor of biology at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, “but there is no way to predict where, when or if mutation will occur.”

Released: 7-Oct-2009 12:30 PM EDT
First Engineered T Cell Receptor Trial Opens with New Cellular Therapy for HIV
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Researchers today announced the opening for enrollment of the first ever study using patients’ cells carrying an engineered T cell receptor to treat HIV. The trial may have important implications in the development of new treatments for HIV potentially slowing – or even preventing – the onset of AIDS.

29-Sep-2009 4:10 PM EDT
Two Malaria Drugs for Travelers Have Fewer Side Effects
Health Behavior News Service

A new research review finds that a combination drug and the common antibiotic doxycycline allow travelers to fend off malaria with the fewest side effects in areas where the parasite is resistant to a widely accepted preventive treatment.

Released: 5-Oct-2009 12:00 PM EDT
No Soap? Then Hand Washing Is a Waste of Time
LifeBridge Health

According to a new Harris poll, when encountered by a public restroom without soap or towels, 74% of people who use public restrooms say they would rinse their hands with water and let them air dry. However, LifeBridge Health experts stress that this action is meaningless without soap.

   


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