Clinical trial finds microbicide promising as HIV prevention method for women – A clinical trial involving more than 3,000 women in the U.S. and southern Africa demonstrates for the first time the promise of a vaginal microbicide gel for preventing HIV infection in women.
New study of human pancreases links virus to cause of type 1 diabetes. Key to success is unique availability of relevant organs for research. – A common family of viruses (enteroviruses) may play an important role in triggering the development of diabetes, particularly in children, revealed by researchers.
A slightly altered HIV-1 strain can infect pig-tailed macaques in the first animal model for human immunodeficiency virus infection. – By altering just one gene in HIV-1, scientists have succeeded in infecting pig-tailed macaque monkeys with a human version of the virus that has until now been impossible to study directly in animals.
Human vaccine against bird flu a reality with new discovery – A vaccine to protect humans from a bird flu pandemic is within reach after a new discovery by researchers at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Researchers have uncovered the workings of a superbug that kills elderly hospital patients worldwide. – An international team of scientists, led by Monash University researchers, has uncovered the workings of a superbug that kills elderly hospital patients worldwide – a discovery that has the potential to save lives and health care systems billions of dollars each year.
Evolutionary biologist will study HIV with grant from AIDS research foundation – Dr. Sara Sawyer will use a $120,000 grant from the Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR) to study how the HIV virus and the cells it attacks have evolved together over time. The goal of her research is to discover new targets for drugs.
Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of colds, flu. Large-scale study supports potential role in boosting immune system. – Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, report investigators from the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Children’s Hospital Boston.
Meningitis bacteria dress up as human cells to evade our immune system – The way in which bacteria that cause bacterial meningitis mimic human cells to evade the body’s innate immune system has been revealed by researchers at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London.
Type of rheumatoid arthritis medication may be associated with increased risk for shingles – Use of certain medications known as monoclonal anti tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a) antibodies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis appears to be associated with an increased risk for herpes zoster (shingles), the painful infection characterized by blisters, according to a study in the February 18 issue of JAMA.
Evidence of infection with the agent (abnormal prion protein) that causes variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) has been found at post mortem in the spleen of a person with haemophilia. – The patient, who was over 70 years old, died of a condition unrelated to vCJD and had shown no symptoms of vCJD or any other neurological condition prior to his death. The vCJD abnormal prion protein was only identified during post mortem research tests.
Swimmers at public beaches show increased risk of exposure to contagious staph bacteria and MRSA. – Swimmers using public ocean beaches increase their risk for exposure to staph organisms, and may increase their risk for potential staph infections once they enter the water.
Researchers have discovered a way of using tiny nano-probes to help understand how an antibiotic is effective against bacteria. – A group of researchers led by scientists from the London Centre for Nanotechnology, in collaboration with a University of Queensland researcher, have discovered a way of using tiny nano-probes to help understand how an antibiotic is effective against bacteria.
