Infectious disease Archives

Food allergy cases increased by 18% in last 10 years

Allergic reactions to food can range from mild, itchy hives to anaphylaxis, the most severe reaction. Standardized clinical guidelines will help healthcare providers better diagnose food allergy, manage ongoing food allergy and treat acute food allergy reactions. – This week, May 10-16, marks Food Allergy Awareness Week, a time to focus public awareness on this growing health problem. Together with the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a patient and family advocacy group at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) encourage all Americans to help those affected by this life-limiting disease.

Infant pain response depends on order of administration of vaccine

Infant pain response during routine intramuscular vaccine injection was affected by the order of administration of the vaccine. – Infants who receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) following the combination vaccine for diphtheria, polio, tetanus, pertussis and Haemophilus influenzae type b (DPTaP-Hib vaccine) appear to experience less pain than those who are immunized in the opposite order, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, a theme issue on vaccines.

Universal Influenza vaccine holds promise

Universal flu vaccine holds promise. Study results will be presented at infectious diseases meeting on monday. – An influenza vaccine that protects against death and serious complications from different strains of flu is a little closer to reality, Saint Louis University vaccine researchers have found.

New tools to study H5N1 vaccines for Bird Flu

FDA Researchers Contribute Insights into Avian Flu Virus. Findings could help develop new tests to detect infection; new tools to study H5N1 vaccines. – An in-depth analysis of blood from patients recovering from the H5N1 avian influenza virus has provided important insights into how to combat the potentially lethal virus.

Anti HIV gel shows promise in preventing HIV infection in women

Anti-HIV gel shows promise in large-scale study in women in clinical trials conducted in Africa and the United States. – An investigational vaginal gel intended to prevent HIV infection in women has demonstrated encouraging signs of success in a clinical trial conducted in Africa and the United States.

National Black HIV AIDS Awareness and Information Day

Statement of Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health – The scourge of HIV/AIDS, which continues to affect the African-American community disproportionately, highlights the importance of a comprehensive strategy to address the U.S. epidemic.

Pediatric vaccine prevents pneumococcal meningitis

Results published in New England Journal of Medicine resolve questions about pediatric vaccine’s efficacy in preventing spread of the pneumococcal meningitis disease to adults. – A standard pediatric vaccine used to prevent several common types of life-threatening infections also effectively reduced the rates of another disease, pneumococcal meningitis, in children and adults, according to a multi-center study led by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

New H5N1 bird flu cases in China, Vietnam

Chinese agriculture officials have issued an alert against bird flu after a 19-year-old woman died of the disease in Beijing. – New human cases of H5N1 avian influenza, involving a 19-year-old Chinese woman who died of her infection and an 8-year-old Vietnamese girl who is recovering, reported by public health officials in two countries – China and Vietnam.

Australia in the front line for outbreaks of diseases

Australian researchers have mapped potential zones that can trigger deadly outbreak of diseases like SARS, bird flu, Nipah virus, enterovirus 71 and chikungunya in Australia. – Australia is surrounded to its north by a ?ring of fire’ where new human and animal plagues are likely to erupt without warning, with potentially devastating consequences.

Scientists can now differentiate healthy cells, cancer cells, stem cells

Scientists can now differentiate between healthy cells and cancer cells and normal stem cells. – One of the current handicaps of cancer treatments is the difficulty of aiming these treatments at destroying malignant cells without killing healthy cells in the process.

Circumcision reduces HIV risk in US men

Circumcision Reduces the Risk of HIV Infection in Heterosexual US Men – A new U.S. study has found that being circumcised significantly reduced the risk of HIV infection in heterosexual African American men known to have been exposed to the virus.

Scientists isolate genes that made 1918 flu lethal

Researchers have identified a set of three genes that helped underpin the extraordinary virulence of the 1918 virus. – By mixing and matching a contemporary flu virus with the “Spanish flu” – a virus that killed between 20 and 50 million people 90 years ago in history’s most devastating outbreak of infectious disease – researchers have identified a set of three genes that helped underpin the extraordinary virulence of the 1918 virus.