- FluChip May Offer Rapid Detection Of Multiple Influenza Virus Strains
U.S. researchers have developed a new diagnostic method capable of rapid identification of influenza A and B subtypes that may ultimately reduce the impact of a potential influenza pandemic. They report their finding in the August 2006 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology. - Results Of Study Published This Month As Researchers Look For A Better Vaccine To Combat Anthrax
A new study published this month by a Saint Louis University vaccine researcher scrutinizes what in the future could be an alternative to the presently available anthrax vaccine. - Peregrine's Final HCV Phase 1a Study Results Accepted For Oral Presentation At AASLD Annual Meeting
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPHM), a biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative, clinical stage products for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and cancer, today announced that data from its Phase la study of bavituximab in patients with chronic hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection have been accepted for oral presentation at The Liver Meeting(R) 2006. - GenoMed's Treatment Speeds Up Texas Policeman's Recovery From West Nile Paralysis
GenoMed (Pink Sheets: GMED), a Next Generation Disease Management company whose business is public health(TM), today announced that a Texas policeman with paralysis from the waist down due to West Nile virus has accelerated his recovery since starting GenoMed's treatment last week. - Nano Chemical Systems Holdings Explores The Use Of The Mold And Fungus Product In AthleticFacilities
Nano Chemical Systems Holdings, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NCSH) announced today that it is exploring the use of it's propriety nano-enhanced Mold and Fungus Inhibitor to deliver solutions to control disease causing agents that occur in professional sports venues. - Reins And Spurs For The Immune System
A finely tuned equilibrium between aggressive and inhibitive immune cells ensures that the intestinal mucosa remains healthy and functional. Scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig, however, have studied on mice what happens when the normal interaction between these cells is disrupted: severe intestinal inflammation, whose symptoms closely resemble human autoimmune diseases, such as Morbus Crohn or Colitis ulcerosa. - Dementia Film Gets Edinburgh Festival Screening
A short film about one woman's experience of dementia is being screened at the Edinburgh Film Festival next week (21 and 23 August 2006). - New Controls For Diseases Could Stem From Discovery Of Metabolic Pathway For Parasite
Toxoplasma gondii is one nasty bug. A microscopic parasite, it lives in the intestinal tract of cats but can be carried by most warm-blooded animals. In humans, it can harm or even kill a developing fetus, and it can as well sicken those with compromised immune systems, such as AIDS patients. - New Controls For Diseases Could Stem From Discovery Of Metabolic Pathway For Parasite
Toxoplasma gondii is one nasty bug. A microscopic parasite, it lives in the intestinal tract of cats but can be carried by most warm-blooded animals. In humans, it can harm or even kill a developing fetus, and it can as well sicken those with compromised immune systems, such as AIDS patients. - Results Of Phase 2 Study Of Tolevamer For C. Difficile-Associated Diarrhea Published In Clinical Inf
Genzyme Corporation (Nasdaq: GENZ) announced today that results from its phase 2 trial of tolevamer, an investigational polymer therapy for patients with Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD), have been published in the August 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. - Humana Military Healthcare Services Receives URAC Accreditation
Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) announced today that Humana Military Healthcare Services (HMHS) has been awarded full Disease Management Accreditation and a full Case Management Accreditation from URAC, a Washington, D.C.-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry. - Iomai Launches Phase 2 Clinical Study Of Vaccine Patch For Travelers' Diarrhea
Iomai Corporation (Nasdaq: IOMI) announced today that it has begun enrollment of a Phase 2 trial designed to test its vaccine patch for travelers' diarrhea in volunteers traveling to sites in Mexico and Guatemala. The field test will provide the investigators with the crucial information needed to launch a Phase 3 trial of the needle-free vaccine. - Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Georgia Issues Immunization Reminders As Part Of BackTo School Preparation
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) is reminding parents to make sure their adolescents' immunizations are up to date as part of their back to school preparations. About 65 percent of Georgia adolescents who are covered through BCBSGa have been immunized against two potentially dangerous viral diseases -- Hepatitis B and chicken pox (varicella) -- according to the 2006 report from the Healthplan Employer Data Information Set (HEDIS(R)). - SMC Business Councils Sponsoring Avian Flu Conference
SMC Business Councils announced today that it is sponsoring a comprehensive conference on Avian Flu. The Conference, "Pandemic Influenza Preparedness," will be held on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 at the Westinghouse Research & Technology Park, 1382 Beulah Road in Churchill from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Cost of the program is $35 per person. Reservations can be made on the Association's website, http://www.smc.org/. - Chromos Updates On Progress With Development Of CHR-1103 For Treatment Of MS
Chromos Molecular Systems Inc. (TSX: CHR) has taken several significant steps in the development of its lead product candidate, CHR-1103. A humanized monoclonal antibody, CHR-1103 is being developed for the acute treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Its unique mechanism of action has the potential to reduce the severity of a relapse in patients with MS and also stem the residual neurological damage that often accompanies relapse and leads to progression of the disease. - Alzheimer's And Other Neurodegenerative Diseases Could Be Spotted Easier By Doctors
Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in their early stages can be difficult for physicians to spot, and many diagnoses are incorrect. A finding by researchers at the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center may soon help in the diagnosis of such diseases. - VaxGen Publishes Results Of Phase I Clinical Trial Of Anthrax Vaccine Candidate
VaxGen, Inc. (Pink Sheets: VXGN.PK) announced today that peer-reviewed data from the company's Phase I clinical trial of its candidate anthrax vaccine rPA102 were published in the journal Vaccine(1). - Michigan Finding No Problem For Commercial Poultry Producers
The finding of a low-pathogenic, North American subtype of avian influenza in wild birds in Michigan creates no problems for commercial poultry operations or consumers, according to the National Chicken Council. - ViroPharma And Wyeth Announce Achievement Of Proof Of Concept Milestone For HCV-796
ViroPharma Incorporated (Nasdaq: VPHM) and Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) today announced that while the analysis of data from their Phase 1b study of HCV-796, an investigational oral non-nucleoside hepatitis C virus (HCV) polymerase inhibitor, in combination with pegylated interferon, is still ongoing, data analyzed to date indicate that HCV-796 has achieved a "proof of concept" milestone under the companies' agreements. - Bahamas Ministry Of Health And National Insurance Announce End Of Malaria Transmissions
The Bahamas Ministry of Health and National Insurance advised on August 4, 2006 that local transmission of malaria on Great Exuma had positively ceased. This conclusion and announcement is based on the passage of three successive incubation periods of 15 days with no new cases of the disease identified. - Multibionta Probiotic Multivitamin Launches In U.S.
Aging, illness, stress, poor diet and the taking of antibiotics are just a few of the everyday ways in which our immune systems are depleted of the naturally occurring good bacteria that live in our digestive systems. Now launched in the United States, Multibionta Probiotic Multivitamin is the newest way to replenish the good bacteria in our bodies, which enhances the immune system, 70% of which is located in the intestines. - Draft Environmental Impact Statement Prepared For New U.S. Army Medical Research Institute
The Department of the Army has issued a Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) associated with the construction and operation of new U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) facilities and the decommissioning and demolition or re-use of the existing USAMRIID facilities at Fort Detrick, Maryland. - Mute Swans May Have Mild Bird Flu In Michigan
Two Wild Mute Swans in Michigan, USA, have been found to have suspected bird flu. However, scientists say preliminary testing indicates that the virus does not seem to be the virulent H5N1 strain, but rather a milder one that has been detected in the USA before. - New Hope For Hepatitis C Research
The mystery surrounding Hepatitis C, a disease that affects millions of people worldwide, is one step closer to being solved.
In a paper published in the August edition of Journal of Virology, scientists describe how they replicated, or reproduced the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in mouse cells. Working with different models, they showed a gene called protein kinase R (PKR) blocked the replication of HCV in mice. - Genotoxic Bacteria In The Digestive Tract
Escherichia coli is a commensal bacterium, which lives peacefully in our digestive tract. However, certain strains are pathogenic and are frequently incriminated in a broad spectrum of infections, affecting both farmed animals and humans (diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, food poisoning, septicaemia, neonatal meningitis, etc.). - Travellers Reminded To Be Vigilant Against Rabies
In view of the recent cases of rabies in some parts of the Mainland, the Department of Health (DH) today (August 7) reminded travellers to the Mainland, especially the affected areas, to be vigilant to minimize the risk of infection. - The Factor Has Two Faces: Dual Role For FoxO1 In Metabolic Disease
Insulin controls in part how we metabolize both carbohydrates (glucose) and fats through distinct signaling pathways, however researchers have yet to identify if there is a shared element in these signaling pathways. - New Research Points Toward Mechanism Of Age-onset Toxicity Of Alzheimer's Protein
Like most neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease usually appears late in life, raising the question of whether it is a disastrous consequence of aging or if the toxic protein aggregates that cause the disease simply take a long time to form. - Interferon-gamma Keeps Over-aggressive Immune Responses In Check
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a specialized subpopulation of T cells that act to suppress overactivation of the immune system and prevent it from turning upon self-tissues. - Virtual Communities May Foster Mental Health In Severely Ill Kids
Pilot research into how virtual environments can foster positive development in severely ill youths who are at risk for mental-health problems has earned Marina Bers, assistant professor of child development at Tufts University, a 2005 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. This award is the highest honor given by the U.S. government to outstanding scientists and engineers at the early stages of their careers. - Unique Huntington's Study Moves Forward
Doctors have completed the first step of a unique medical research study, evaluating 1,001 individuals at risk of developing Huntington's disease who do not know - nor do they want to know - whether they carry the genetic defect that causes the condition. - Avian Flu Situation In China - WHO Update
The Ministry of Health in China has today retrospectively confirmed a human case of H5N1 infection dating back to November 2003. The case occurred in a 24-year-old member of the military service based in Beijing. The man developed symptoms on 25 November 2003 and was hospitalized with pneumonia in Beijing. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he died of severe respiratory disease on 3 December 2003. - West Nile Virus Human Deaths In Four US States, 192 Human Infections So Far
As of 8 August the CDC reports four human deaths from West Nile Virus (WNV) infection. The fatalities took place in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota and Mississippi. There have been 192 human infections so far this year, of which 84 (44%) had West Nile meningitis or encephalitis, 102 (53%) had West Nile Fever and 6 were unspecified. - Advancis Pharmaceutical Announces Positive Results For Amoxicillin PULSYS Phase III Trial
Advancis Pharmaceutical Corporation (Nasdaq: AVNC), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel anti-infective products, today announced that its Amoxicillin PULSYS Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of adults and adolescents with pharyngitis/tonsillitis due to Group A streptococcal infections (commonly referred to as strep throat) achieved its desired microbiological and clinical endpoints. - Routine Use Of Hib Vaccine Could Lead To Virtual Elimination Of Killer Disease In Africa
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published research showing that routine vaccination of infants in Kenya against H. influenzae Type b (Hib) significantly reduced invasive Hib disease to 88% below baseline. - Strong Evidence Of A Genetic Risk Factor For Parkinson's Disease
A Mayo Clinic-led international research collaboration -- one of the largest studies of its kind -- provides strong evidence that a genetic risk factor may account for 3 percent of the cause of Parkinson's disease. - New Bird Flu Drug Promises To Beat The Problem Of Resistance
A new kind of drug to fight bird flu that will not suffer from the same kind of resistance problems as current treatments should begin clinical trials within the next three years, thanks to a new research grant. - Governments Worldwide Should Increase Efforts To Fight TB, HIV/AIDS, Report Says
Although the HIV/AIDS pandemic is leading to increased numbers of tuberculosis cases worldwide, and more people are dying of AIDS-related causes because of TB, governments are not adequately addressing the interaction between the two diseases, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Public Health Watch project of the Open Society Institute, Reuters Health reports (Fox, Reuters Health, 8/8). - Alzheimer's Medication Shows Promise In Treating Nerve Agent And Pesticide Poisoning
A medication used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease can be used to protect people against the toxic effects of nerve agents and certain insecticides, according to a study led by researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. - Cincinnati Surgeon's Pediatric Laparoscopic Liver Surgery A World First
A University of Cincinnati (UC) surgeon recently performed what is believed to be the world's first pediatric laparoscopic liver surgery, a specialized procedure for removing cancerous liver tumors without the need for a major incision. - Nicotine Found To Protect Against Parkinson's-like Brain Damage
New research suggests that nicotine treatment protects against the same type of brain damage that occurs in Parkinson's disease. The research was conducted in laboratory animals treated with MPTP, an agent that produces a gradual loss of brain function characteristic of Parkinson's. Experimental animals receiving chronic administration of nicotine over a period of six months had 25 percent less damage from the MPTP treatment than those not receiving nicotine. - La Jolla Pharmaceutical Expands Enrollment In Phase 3 International Riquent(R) Study
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (Nasdaq: LJPC) announced today that it has reactivated enrollment in its Phase 3 trial of Riquent(R) (abetimus sodium) for the treatment of lupus renal disease. To date, the Company has activated 30 sites, 21 in the United States and 9 in Asia. - Human Genome Sciences Announces Phase 3 Clinical Development Program For LymphoStat-B(TM)
Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) today announced its Phase 3 clinical development program for LymphoStat-B(TM) (belimumab) in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). - Fisher HealthCare To Distribute Nanogen Real-Time PCR Products To Clinical Laboratories
Nanogen, Inc. (Nasdaq: NGEN), developer of advanced diagnostic products, announced today that Fisher HealthCare, Inc., a unit of Fisher Scientific International Inc. (NYSE: FSH), will become the exclusive distributor of Nanogen's MGB Alert(TM) real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products in the United States. Fisher will have exclusive rights to sell and distribute the products to clinical laboratories. - Allergic Rhinitis Is Associated With The Development Of Parkinson's Disease Later In Life
Researchers from Mayo Clinic have discovered that allergic rhinitis is associated with the development of Parkinson's disease later in life. Findings will be published in the August issue of the journal Neurology. - Researchers Find 'secret Weapon' Used By SARS Virus
In 2003, the highly contagious and often-deadly mystery disease now called SARS emerged explosively out of Southern China. It eventually killed an estimated 916 people in Asia, Europe, and North and South America--nearly one in ten of those it infected. - Voluntary Household Interventions Can Reduce Death And Disease Burden From Pandemic Influenza
A scientific study suggests that the number of infected individuals and deaths from influenza during the first year of a pandemic could be substantially reduced by a combination of voluntary household-based quarantine and isolation of actively infected individuals in a location outside the household. This would be the case even if only half of the population complied with such measures. - Bali Orders Rockeby Biomed Avian Rapid Flu Test
Australian diagnostic group Rockeby biomed Ltd (RBY:AX) has secured a contract to supply its Avian Flu Rapid test to the Indonesian island of Bali after recent reports of outbreaks of avian flu. - GenoMed's West Nile Virus Trial Endorsed By Emergency Medicine Authority
GenoMed (OTC Pink Sheets GMED), a Next Generation Disease Management company whose business is public health™, today announced the endorsement of its trial for West Nile virus encephalitis by an authority in Emergency Medicine, Dr. Neal Handly. - Novartis MeNZB(TM) Vaccine Campaign Data Show 80 Percent Efficacy Rate During Epidemic
Novartis announced today the successful conclusion of a two-year nationwide mass vaccination campaign in New Zealand based on the company's MeNZB(TM) vaccine, which was developed specifically for the effort. - FDA Approves Influenza Vaccines To Be Manufactured For Upcoming Flu Season
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it has approved this year's seasonal influenza (flu) vaccines that include the new strains of virus judged likely to cause flu in the Northern Hemisphere in 2006-2007. - Link Between Allergic Rhinitis And Parkinson's - Clarification
Media coverage has been reporting that allergies are linked to Parkinson's. An article in The Times (UK) states "millions of people who suffer from chronic allergies to pets, dust and spores are up to three times more likely to develop Parkinson's later in life." - Parkinson's Disease Society Calls For More Specialist Parkinson's Nurses, UK
The Parkinson's Disease Society (PDS) estimates that two-thirds of people with Parkinson's living in the UK currently have access to a specialist Parkinson's nurse. The PDS believes that specialist nursing care should be available for every person with Parkinson's and calls for areas without a nurse to establish a specialist Parkinson's nurse post immediately. Creating more posts is a key step to making a reality of the NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) Guideline. - Penn Researchers Determine Structure Of Smallpox Virus Protein Bound To DNA
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have determined the structure of an important smallpox virus enzyme and how it binds to DNA. The enzyme, called a topoisomerase, is an important drug target for coming up with new ways to fight smallpox. The researchers present their findings in the August issue of Molecular Cell. - Transgenic Goat's Milk Offers Hope For Tackling Children's Intestinal Disease
It's hard to improve on milk, but animal scientists at the University of California, Davis, have found that milk produced by transgenic goats, which carry the gene for an antibacterial enzyme found in human breast milk, altered the intestinal bacteria in young goats and pigs that were fed the milk. - First Human Bird Flu Case In China Was In 2003
The first human case of bird flu infection happened in November 2003, not two years later, says the Ministry of Health in China. It had been thought that the first H5N1 human infection occurred in 2005. This confirms claims made in a letter by eight Chinese scientists, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which stated that a 24 year old man, Mr. Shi, had died in the capital, Beijing, in November 2003. He died within four days of being taken to hospital. - Movie Spies On Malaria Parasite's Sneaky Behavior
Malaria has been outsmarting the human immune system for centuries. Now, using real-time imaging to track malaria infections in live mice, researchers have discovered one of the parasite's sneakiest tricks--using dead liver cells to cloak and transport itself back into the bloodstream after leaving the liver. - Oral And Maxillofacial Surgeon Helps Volunteer Group Reach 20-year Milestone
When oral and maxillofacial surgeon Louis K. Rafetto, DMD, traveled to Peru to donate his services last February, he became the 5,000th volunteer placement for Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) - helping the group mark its 20th anniversary. - GenoMed's First Horse Recovers Quickly From Presumed West Nile Virus Encephalitis
GenoMed (OTC Pink Sheets GMED), a Next Generation Disease Management company that uses genomics to solve diseases in as many species as possible, today announced that the first horse in its expanded trial for West Nile virus encephalitis recovered completely within 24 hours after starting GenoMed's treatment. - DNA To The Defense: Genomic Expansion And Diversification In A Human Parasite Allow It To Evade Host
A team of scientists headed by Dr. Sara Melville at the University of Cambridge has shown that the parasite known to cause African sleeping sickness has evolved an unusual chromosomal structure as a result of environmental adaptation. In this parasite, the chromosomes are highly enriched in subtelomeric sequences - dynamic and variable regions that connect the chromosome ends to the gene-rich cores. - WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 Is 'On Your Side' With 'Healthy Living For Kids'; Free Immunizations For Children
WXYZ-TV/Channel 7, Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion and Molina Healthcare will give thousands of Detroit metro area children a "boost" at the 29th annual "HEALTHY LIVING FOR KIDS" program. This year the program will be held Sunday, August 13, 2006 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Since its inception in 1977, "Healthy Living For Kids" has provided free immunizations to over 50,000 young people. - Longer Needles Best For Infant Immunization
Infants vaccinated with a long needle experience fewer reactions but get the same protection (immunogenicity) as a shorter needle, finds a study published on bmj.com. - Facts About Flu And Colds - True Or False?
Considering how common they are, colds and flu are the subject of a great many misconceptions. Dr. Seth Feltheimer, an associate attending physician, and Patricia Ciminera, nurse practitioner at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, offer their insights and expertise on these sources of misery. - David Kirby, Author Of 'Evidence Of Harm,' To Speak In New York City On Tuesday, August 15
David Kirby, author of the New York Times bestselling book "Evidence of Harm, Mercury in Vaccines and The Autism Epidemic" (St. Martin's Press), will present his findings and the importance of additional autism research at a Cure Autism Now-sponsored meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 15 in New York City. Dr. Clara Lajonchere, Director of CAN's Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE), will also be available to discuss autism research. - Rabies Vaccination Program Beginning In Western Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff today announced that the annual oral rabies vaccination baiting (ORV) program, which helps control rabies in wild animals, will begin on Monday, Aug. 7. The operation will cover all or parts of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Erie, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, Washington and Westmoreland counties. - Antibiotic Injection Kills Three, Leaves 80 Ill In China
An antibiotic clindamycin phosphate glucose injection has been blamed for the deaths of three patients in China, says the Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Center of China's SFDA (State Food and Drug Administration). The agency has also received at least 80 reports of severe adverse reactions from ten provinces. The drug is produced by Anhui Huayuan Worldbest Biology Pharmacy Company, Anhui, China. - Second Human Bird Flu Death Confirmed In Thailand
Authorities in Thailand have confirmed that a 27-year-old man who died in Uthai Thani province on August 3 did so as a result of bird flu infection. This is the second person to die of bird flu in the country within the last two weeks. The other patient was a 17-year-old man who died on July 26. Sixteen people have died of bird flu infection in Thailand so far. The country had been free of human infections for seven months. - Discovery In "Bubble Boy" Disease Gene Therapy
Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have developed a mouse model of a severe disease of the immune system that helps explain why gene therapy used to treat children with this disease at an institution in Europe caused some of them to develop leukemia. The disease, called X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (XSCID), is caused by a mutation in a gene called gamma C that prevents the immune system from forming B and T lymphocytes. - Regulatory T Cells Learn Early In Life What To Protect - And Sometimes Badly
Regulatory T cells, which function like immune system police, learn early in life what to protect, and that may include viruses, bacteria and tumors, researchers have shown. - Innovative Method For Creating A Human Cytomegalovirus Vaccine Outlined
Each year, about 40,000 children are born infected with human cytomegalovirus, or CMV, and about 8,000 of these children suffer permanent disabilities due to the virus - almost one an hour. These disabilities can include hearing loss, vision loss, mental disability, a lack of coordination, and seizures. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CMV is as common a cause of serious disability as Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, or neural tube defects. - A Single Sugar Found Responsible For An Antibody's Ability To Treat Inflammation
For years, researchers have struggled to understand how IVIG worked. It's ability to treat autoimmune diseases seemed to bean apparent contradiction. - TB Relapse Due To Low Weight Gain After Initial Treatment
Among tuberculosis (TB) patients who were underweight when diagnosed, those who subsequently regained less than five percent of their weight during the first two months of treatment had a significantly increased risk of disease relapse, according to results from a large study. - How Protein Raises Antibody Output, Study
Cancer immunologists here have discovered how a protein on the surface of antibody-making immune cells boosts the amount of antibody the cells make. - Enzyme ENOS Plays Previously Unrecognized Role In Anaphylactic Shock
Anaphylaxis is a severe and rapid allergic reaction, and its most severe form - anaphylactic shock - can lead to death in minutes if left untreated. Anaphylactic shock can be caused by bee stings, food, medications, and latex exposure and one of the primary physical effects is dilation of blood vessels due to the production of nitric oxide (NO), resulting in dangerously low blood pressure. - Cleveland Clinic Physicians Present Medical Updates In Costa Rica
Four Cleveland Clinic physicians will be in San Jose, Costa Rica, August 7-8, to present current infectious disease and pulmonary medicine topics at the Cleveland Clinic Medical Update conference. - New Hope In Cancer Vaccines Emerges As Novel Therapies Are Developed And Tested
Medicine can now prevent a host of diseases with a mere shot of vaccine. Polio and smallpox are almost non- existent, and mumps and chicken pox are rarely seen nowadays. And for the first time, the prospect of eradicating a specific cancer through vaccination is possible. The newly approved human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is designed to curb the 230,000 worldwide deaths due to cervical cancer, which is caused solely by HPV. - Bristol Obtains Japan Approval For Baraclude, Treatment For Chronic Hepatitis B Patients
Bristol-Myers Squibb Japan announced on July 26 that its Baraclude - generic name: entecavir - had been certifiied by Japan's Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. - Exubera And Vivitrol FDA Approvals Drive Renewed Interest And Investment In Drug Delivery Technology
Recent approvals of new products employing drug delivery technologies have served to provide an important catalyst for ongoing development of systems in development as well as renewed funding of early stage and clinical activities, reports Mark Alexay of Strategic Research Institute. Many late-stage clinical development products for delivery via through needlefree, microneedle, injectable, nasal/pulmonary, transdermal, combination products, reformulated generics. - Dengue Virus Reveals Its Circular Secret
The first step in the transmission of mosquito-borne viruses is no mystery: it's the pesky insect's bite that allows the virus to enter its victim's bloodstream. But for some of the most dangerous insect-borne viruses, details of what happens next have been unclear. - MEDEX Assistance Expands Avian Flu Info Outreach: Comprehensive New Website Is A Free Resource
Expanding its longstanding coverage and counsel regarding the avian flu, MEDEX Assistance today launched a comprehensive new website that provides the very latest authoritative updates on the potential pandemic. One of the world's leading providers of 24/7 emergency medical, security and travel assistance, MEDEX Assistance has been addressing global health issues and serving the needs of corporate and individual business and leisure travelers for more than 28 years. - Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Receives Approval From Indian Regulator To Initiate Phase II Clinical
Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (LSE: NAPL.L), which focuses on the development and commercialization of proprietary pharmaceuticals for the global marketplace in collaboration with local partners, today announced that it has received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), to start a Phase II trial with crofelemer, Napo's proprietary gastro-intestinal compound for the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea. - Tracking Diseases By Bait, Plane, Insects And Fowl: Conference 7 - 9 August 2006
The 91st Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting will be held in Memphis, Tennessee, from August 6 -11, 2006. The theme of the meeting is "Icons and Upstarts in Ecology" and some 3,000 scientists are expected to attend. Below is a sampling of papers, focusing on diseases, which will be presented during the week. Other topics to be covered during the meeting include marine ecology, environmental justice, climate change, biogeochemistry, and invasive species. - New Discovery About Parkinson's At The Montreal Neurological Institute
As a world-class medical centre, the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (MNI) at McGill University is able to treat patients with Parkinson's and make important discoveries about the disease all under the same roof. - Call For Data On Reuse Of Surgical Instruments To Allay Fears Over VCJD Transmission
A study published in the online edition of the Journal of the Royal Society Interface has been exploring the likelihood that vCJD might be spread via the reuse of surgical instruments, and calls for more data in order to allay fears over the possible transmission of vCJD. - Seven Indonesians Do Not Have Bird Flu
Lab results have indicated that seven Indonesians who were suspected of being infected with bird flu are free of the disease - samples tested negative for H5N1 or any other type of bird flu. A Health Ministry official confirmed that the seven patients do not have bird flu. - AllermistTM / Avamys® (fluticasone Furoate) Significantly Improved Symptoms Of Seasonal
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced it has submitted applications for both U.S. and European marketing approval for a new medicine to treat the symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). The medicine (fluticasone furoate) is an enhanced affinity intranasal corticosteroid with the proposed name of AllermistTM in the US and Avamys® in Europe. - AAAAI: Itchy Mouth May Be Tied To Produce, Ragweed
Does your mouth or throat become itchy after eating fresh fruits or vegetables during this time of the year? For the 36 million people suffering from ragweed allergies, it is important to know about pollen-food syndrome, also known as oral allergy syndrome (OAS), caused by allergens such as ragweed, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). - Neuren Selects New Compound Targeted For The Oral Treatment Of Parkinson's And Related Neurological
Neuren Pharmaceuticals (ASX: NEU) announces a new lead candidate, NNZ-2591, from its diketopiperazine (DKP) family, which has shown efficacy in a preclinical model of Parkinson's disease (PD) and in other animal models of brain injury. This is now Neuren's third lead candidate, after Glypromate(R) and NNZ-2566, which are both currently in human trials. - La Jolla Pharmaceutical Data On SSAO Candidates Presented At International Scientific Meeting
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (Nasdaq: LJPC) today announced that Matthew D. Linnik, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Research and Chief Scientific Officer, presented data concerning the Company's compounds that inhibit SSAO as potential treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases at the 12th Amine Oxidase and Trace Amines Workshop, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. - IAVI To Propose New Scientific And Policy Initiatives To Advance The Search For An AIDS Vaccine
With 40 million infections worldwide and 14,000 new infections occurring each day, the AIDS pandemic continues to grow, despite advances in prevention and treatment. A preventive vaccine is the best long-term solution to the pandemic. But much still remains to be done to discover and make a vaccine accessible globally. - Genome Circularization And RNA Virus Replication
As featured on the cover of the August 15th issue of G&D, an Argentinian research team, led by Dr. Andrea Gamarnik, report on their recent discovery of a novel mechanism of dengue virus replication. - Health-care Workers' SARS Protective Clothing Systems Can Still Leave Them Vunerable
Health-care workers who don protective clothing to stave-off infection from threats such as SARS, other emerging infectious diseases, and bio-terrorism are still vulnerable to contamination, a Queen's University study has found. - Shorter Tuberculosis Therapies Could Lead To Substantial Reductions In Cases And Deaths
New, shorter therapies to treat tuberculosis (TB), which kills millions worldwide each year, may make TB control efforts substantially more effective by simplifying treatment, improving patient outcomes and reducing transmission of new infections. Looking at the potential benefits if a two-month regimen becomes available during the next decade, a new study led by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) - Progress In Battle Against Life-threatening Acute Allergy
Up to 15% of the population has to contend at some time with Anaphylaxis: a suddenly serious allergic reaction that can be life-threatening. Researchers from the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) connected to Ghent University have uncovered mechanisms that underlie this reaction. Their research offers new perspectives for the treatment of anaphylactic shock. - Abt Associates Launches USAID-Funded Avian Influenza Surveillance And Control Project
Abt Associates has been awarded a three-year project aimed at preventing, controlling and responding to avian influenza (AI) in countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region. The award was made by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Regional Development Mission in Bangkok, Thailand. The three-year award, made under the Population, Health and Nutrition Technical Assistance and Support Contract (TASC2) IQC, is the largest competed USAID award for avian influenza to date. - CHDI And Edison Enter Collaborative Agreement; Development Of Therapeutics Targeting Huntington's
CHDI and Edison Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the formation of a partnership to develop analogs of CoQ(10) selectively targeted to reach the brain and address the mitochondrial component of Huntington's disease. - Mutated Bird Flu Virus Might Not Spread Easily
Although many scientists have been concerned that the H5N1 bird flu virus may mutate one day and become easily human transmissible, a recent study seems to indicate that it might not spread easily among humans. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA, tried to combine a common human flu virus with H5N1 and found it does not spread easily. - Onchocerciasis Treatment Reduces Prevalence And Intensity By 38 Percent
Onchocerciasis, river blindness or craw craw is an endemic disease in Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. This pathology causes a weakening in affected individuals, most of them within the labour force population, making this disease one of the limiting factors for the economic development of the island. Onchocerciasis is caused by the worm Onchocerca volvulus. It is transmitted through the bite of the black fly, Simulium. - Potential Drug Target For Huntington's Disease Identified By Study
An enzyme known to be critical for the repair of damaged cells and the maintenance of cellular energy may be a useful target for new strategies to treat Huntington's disease (HD) and other disorders characterized by low cellular energy levels. - Peaks And Troughs Of Dengue Epidemics Explained By UGA Study
Scientists have long known that epidemics of dengue fever wax and wane over a period of several years, but they've never been quite sure why. With the incidence and range of the potentially deadly mosquito-borne illness increasing, understanding the factors that influence these epidemics has never been more important.
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