Since 2004, seven cases of hepatitis B have been reported to the Health Protection Agency from care and residential homes following the incorrect use of lancing devices. On further investigation by local Health Protections Units eleven more cases have been identified in diabetics who have probably been infected by these means.
A CIHR-funded randomized controlled trial conducted in Kenya has demonstrated that male circumcision is an effective measure for reducing HIV incidence in young men.
A University of Illinois at Chicago study has been stopped early due to dramatic preliminary results indicating that medical circumcision reduces the risk of acquiring HIV during heterosexual intercourse by 53 percent.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved a new test to screen blood donors for a blood-borne parasite that causes Chagas disease, a serious and potentially fatal parasitic infection. The test, called the ORTHO T. cruzi ELISA Test System, detects antibodies to the Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) parasite and is the first such test approved by FDA.
Abbott and Enanta Pharmaceuticals announced today that the companies have signed a worldwide agreement to develop and commercialize hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 and NS3/4A protease inhibitors. Enanta has discovered several HCV protease inhibitors that have demonstrated attractive efficacy and pharmacokinetic profiles in pre-clinical studies.
The American Dietetic Association commends Congress for passing a three-year reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act, the largest federal program specifically for people with HIV and AIDS, with new attention to the unique dietary needs of patients.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched a new website today offering technologies available for commercial licensing that are related to rare diseases or conditions. The listing can be found at http://www.ott.nih.gov/rarediseases and currently consists of more than 500 such technologies, including drugs, biologics, and devices, available to be transferred from the NIH and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the private sector for further research and development and potential commercialization.
A multicenter study on treating common ear infections in children with ear tubes adds to a growing body of evidence that favors antibiotic ear drops over antibiotics swallowed in pill or liquid form in such cases, a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher reports.
The Food and Drug Administration is continuing its investigation of an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to eating food from Taco Bell restaurants in 5 states. FDA is collaborating with state and local health officials, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the firm to identify the cause of the outbreak.
Microneedle-based vaccination with the current anthrax vaccine produced an equally effective immune response to intramuscular injection in rabbits using smaller dosage say researcher from Maryland and North Carolina. They report their findings in the December 2006 issue of the journal Infection and Immunity.