Scientists decode genome of deadly parasitic worm — Schistosoma mansoni — that causes intestinal schistosomiasis. – Researchers have sequenced the genome of the parasite — Schistosoma mansoni — that causes intestinal schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia or snail fever), a devastating tropical disease that afflicts more than 200 million people in the developing world.
HHS Purchases Additional H1N1 Vaccine Ingredients – U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the health department will commit $884 million to purchase additional supplies of two key ingredients for potential H1N1 vaccine to further prepare the nation for a potential resurgence of the 2009 H1N1 virus.
The World Health Organization grants prequalification to Cervarix: GSK?s vaccine to help combat cervical cancer in developing nations. – The World Health Organization (WHO) has awarded prequalification to Cervarix, GlaxoSmithKline’s cervical cancer vaccine. GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceutical company applied for WHO prequalification of Cervarix 2 years ago.
HIV-1 damages gut antibody-producing immune cells within days of infection – A new research from the NIAID-funded Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology suggests that HIV-1 is anything but ? moving at breathtaking speed in destroying and dysregulating the body’s gut-based B-cell antibody-producing system.
A new weapon in the war against HIV-AIDS: Combined antiviral and targeted chemotherapy – HIV-AIDS could be treated through a combination of targeted chemotherapy and current Highly Active Retroviral (HAART) treatments, revealed by researchers.
World now at the start of 2009 influenza pandemic, says WHO. – On the basis of available evidence and expert assessments of the evidence, the scientific criteria for an influenza pandemic have been met. The Director-General of WHO has therefore decided to raise the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6.
New accurate diagnostic test for swine H1N1 influenza using RT-PCR technology – A new, easy-to-perform method for detecting both seasonal influenza A virus and the emerging H1N1 swine-derived influenza A virus in human clinical samples offers a fast, sensitive, and cost-effective diagnostic test that runs on standard laboratory equipment.
One step closer to turning off cancer genes with gene silencing technology for cervical cancer patients and also with no hair loss. – Researchers at The University of Queensland have developed a way to deliver drugs which can specifically shut down cancer-causing genes in tumour cells while sparing normal healthy tissues.
Penn study demonstrates new way to boost immune memory — Cancer vaccine efficacy enhanced using anti-diabetic drug metformin. – University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers have found that a common anti-diabetic drug might enhance the effectiveness of vaccines. The findings are described this week in an advanced online publication of Nature.
Government of Canada announces funding for research to further protect Canadians from the H1N1 flu virus – The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, is pleased to announce another measure to address the H1N1 flu virus. The Government of Canada will fund a national influenza research network focused on pandemic vaccine evaluation.
New Report Finds 10 Early Lessons Learned from the H1N1 Outbreak – A new report – The Pandemic Flu: Lessons from the Frontlines – reviews 10 early lessons learned from the response to the H1N1 (swine) flu outbreak, 10 ongoing core vulnerabilities in U.S. pandemic flu preparedness.
Study: Benefit to women not enough to sway men to get HPV vaccine – Informing men that a new vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) would also help protect their female partners against developing cervical cancer from the sexually transmitted infection did not increase their interest in getting the vaccine, according to a new Florida State University study.
