EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases

Adapting to clogged airways makes common pathogen resist powerful drugs

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(University of Washington) Mutations of a common environmental pathogen that causes chronic lung disease in patients with cystic fibrosis are able to survive in oxygen-poor, nitrate-rich airway secretions. This same survival mechanism also enables the mutate bacteria to resist the effects of certain antibiotics -- even without any previous exposure to antibiotics.

Cells can read damaged DNA without missing a beat

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Emory University) Under certain growth-limiting conditions, enzymes that read DNA can skim through damaged DNA without skipping any letters in the genetic "text." This suggests a mechanism that can allow bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotics.

Barcelona becomes part of a worldwide research on tuberculosis

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(IDIBAPS - Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer) The Tuberculosis Trials Consortium conducts research about the diagnosis, medical treatment, and prevention of tuberculosis infection and disease. From now and until 2010, this Consortium will receive more than $90 million to develop more effective tuberculosis treatments. This funding will be distributed among 20 research sites, being Barcelona the only European representative: Barcelona Public Health Agency and Hospital Clínic de Barcelona-IDIBAPS will coordinate this site within the framework of the Tuberculosis Investigation Unit of Barcelona.

Tulane receives $15 million NIH contract to develop vaccine and treatment for deadly fever

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Tulane University) The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded a five-year contract totaling $15,254,919 to Tulane University for its ongoing efforts to treat and prevent Lassa fever, an often deadly viral disease that threatens hundreds of thousands of people annually in West Africa and is classified as a potential bioterrorism threat.

Dana-Farber and Sanford-Burnham Institute license flu-targeting antibodies to Genentech and Roche

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute have signed a license agreement with Genentech, a wholly owned member of the Roche group, and Roche, that grants the companies exclusive rights to manufacture, develop and market human monoclonal antibodies to treat and protect against group 1 influenza viruses. These viruses include the strains for the current seasonal and H1N1 influenzas.

One-third of antimalarial medicines sampled in 3 African nations found to be substandard

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(US Pharmacopeia) The first results from a large-scale study of key antimalarial medicines in ten Sub-Saharan African countries reveal that a high percentage of medicines circulating on national markets are of substandard quality and thus may contribute to the growth of drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent form of malaria.

'Revolutionary' water treatment units on their way to Afghanistan

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Sam Houston State University) The US army takes delivery of its first waste-water treatment units for Afhganistan, technology that 'would be immensely useful in Haiti right now.'

Scripps research team reveals how an old drug could have a new use for treating river blindness

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Scripps Research Institute) Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a potential new use for the drug closantel, currently the standard treatment for sheep and cattle infected with liver fluke. The new research suggests that the drug may be useful in combating river blindness, a tropical disease that is the world's second leading infectious cause of blindness for humans.

Antiretroviral therapy associated with increase in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Public Library of Science) In PLoS Medicine this week a study conducted in a multi-country HIV treatment program in sub-Saharan Africa has found that pregnancy rates increase in HIV-infected women after they start antiretroviral therapy.

Infection-fighting antibodies made in plants as effective as costlier conventional version

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Washington University School of Medicine) The first head-to-head comparison of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies produced from plants versus the same antibodies produced from mammalian cells has shown that plant-produced antibodies can fight infection equally well. Scientists conducted the comparison as a test of the potential for treating disease in developing nations with the significantly less expensive plant-based production technique.

Nearly half of Americans believe H1N1 outbreak is over, poll finds

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Harvard School of Public Health) Poll shows almost half of Americans believe H1N1 flu outbreak is over and levels of concern about getting sick continue to decline. After initial period of vaccine shortage, 70 percent of adults said there is now enough vaccine in their community for everyone who wants it. More than half of parents either got the vaccine for their children or intend to. Many adults said they have not gotten the vaccine and do not intend to.

NTU researchers complete the world's first in-depth study of the malaria parasite genome

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Nanyang Technological University) Groundbreaking research done at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University's School of Biological Sciences could lead to the development of more potent drugs or a vaccine for malaria. Assistant Professor Zbynek Bozdech and his team of researchers, including graduate students and post-doctorals from SBS' Division of Genomics & Genetics, have scored a world first in successfully using transcriptional profiling to uncover hitherto unknown gene expression (activity) patterns in malaria.

Road mapping could be key to curing TB

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Society for General Microbiology) The complex chain of metabolic events in bacteria that lead to fatal diseases such as tuberculosis may be better understood using mathematical models, according to an article published in the February issue of Microbiology Today.

TGen finalizes alliance with Van Andel Research Institute

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(The Translational Genomics Research Institute) The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) today announced the completion of a strategic alliance and affiliation agreement with the Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) that will maximize the research capabilities of both nonprofit institutes.

MSU researcher awarded $2 million to tackle parasitic tropical diseases

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Michigan State University) In an effort to eliminate the tropical diseases elephantiasis and river blindness, a Michigan State University researcher has been awarded $2 million to reformulate an existing drug that could stop the debilitating diseases in their tracks.

Virology text focuses on families

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Microbiology) A new virology textbook published by ASM Press educates the reader by focusing on the families. Based on the author's experiences teaching virology for more than 35 years, "Virology: Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis" enables readers to develop a deep understanding of fundamental virology by emphasizing principles and discussing viruses in the context of virus families.

More than 30 percent of seniors are not immunized against pneumonia in 36 states

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Infectious Diseases Society of America) A new report, "Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives," released today by the Trust for America's Health, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that more than 30 percent of adults ages 65 and older had not been immunized against pneumonia in 36 states as of 2008.

Device to sniff out stomach bugs could save health services millions

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(University of Bristol) Testing has begun on a device that can sniff out the presence of disease by smell, thanks to a £1.3 ($2.1) million award from the Wellcome Trust. OdoReader, developed by Chris Probert from the University of Bristol and Norman Ratcliffe from the University of the West of England, uses pioneering technology to rapidly diagnose Clostridium difficile, by "reading" the odor of stool samples. Clostridium difficile may cause severe diarrhea, especially amongst hospitalized patients.

News briefs from the February issue of Chest

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(American College of Chest Physicians) News briefs from the February issue of Chest feature new studies related to the use of inhaled corticosteroids for COPD, depression and COPD, and noncompliance issues related to TB therapy.

Targeted prevention stopped spread of H1N1 at Alabama boys camp

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(University of Alabama at Birmingham) Providing preventive Tamiflu and educating and emphasizing the need for repeated hand sanitizer use and disinfectant spray helped stop the spread of H1N1 influenza at a boys' summer camp in northern Alabama, according to David Kimberlin, M.D., the co-director of the UAB Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Flu vaccination rate at large, Midwest health system rises dramatically due to mandatory policy

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Washington University School of Medicine) Making flu shots mandatory in 2008 dramatically increased the vaccination rate among St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare's nearly 26,000 employees to more than 98 percent, according to a report now online in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Plant derivative could help refine cancer treatment

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Medical College of Georgia) Medical College of Georgia researchers are seeking to refine cancer treatment with an anti-inflammatory plant derivative long used in Chinese medicine.

Iowa State, Ames Lab chemists discover how antiviral drugs bind to and block flu virus

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Iowa State University) A research team led by Mei Hong of Iowa State University and the Ames Laboratory has determined where an antiviral drug binds to and blocks a channel necessary for the flu virus to spread. The researchers also discovered that the drug spins in the channel, meaning there could be room for developing drugs that do a better job blocking the channel and stopping the flu. The findings are published in the Feb. 4 issue of the journal Nature.

LSTM begins £0.5 million malaria study in Burkina Faso

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine) A new study led by LSTM will investigate whether long-term weekly iron and folic acid supplementation can reduce anemia without increasing the risk of contracting malaria.

Scientists find ideal target for malaria therapy

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

(Washington University School of Medicine) Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a protein made by the malaria parasite that is essential to its ability to take over human red blood cells.