WHO :: UN health agency stresses multi-disease prevention strategy
The United Nations health agency outlined its ambitious goals of expanding the integrated delivery of immunization and preventive treatment against a whole host of diseases.
Malaria
Health Care :: More aid required for chronic conditions in low income countries
Chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cancer result in more deaths and account for more years of healthy life lost than most communicable diseases, and yet little international aid is focused on preventing or treating these conditions. Cardiovascular disease causes 30 percent of all deaths globally and 27 percent of deaths in low income countries. By comparison, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, combined, account for 10 percent of all deaths globally and 11 percent of death in developing countries.
Malaria :: Researchers discover surprising drug that blocks malaria
Northwestern University researchers have uncovered how malaria parasites break into red blood cells and how to block the invading parasites with a commonly prescribed high-blood pressure medication. This opens the door for important new drugs to which the parasites are much less likely to become resistant. Malaria is surging worldwide because of drug resistance and the lack of an effective vaccine. Jamaica, which had eradicated the disease for 50 years, recently reported an outbreak.
Malaria :: Population Services’ insecticide-treated net PermaNet in Botswana
Population Services International this week introduced the insecticide-treated net PermaNet in Botswana, where 40% to 50% of the population is vulnerable to malaria, Mmegi reports.
Malaria :: Genetic diversity of malaria parasite
Three studies independently characterize the genetic diversity of the parasite that causes malaria in the January issue of Nature Genetics.
Health :: World health insurance to realize the right to health
There has been growing recognition in the international community that health should be considered a human right, but much less attention has been paid to the ensuing legal obligation to provide international assistance, says a team of authors from M?decins Sans Fronti?res, led by Gorik Oooms.
Malaria :: Erythrocyte G protein a novel target for malarial chemotherapy
Kasturi Haldar and colleagues from Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, investigated a protein in red blood cells (erythrocyte guanine nucleotide regulatory protein Gs) as a novel antimalarial target.
Malaria :: New treatment against malaria – tazopsine from Madagascan plant
Two papers in this week’s PLoS Medicine suggest possible new avenues of treatment against malaria.
Menopause :: Mechanism of black cohosh versus hot flashes revealed
The natural herb black cohosh is commonly used by women to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, but the molecular mechanisms underlying its action have eluded scientists — until now.
Malaria :: Malaria vaccine prompts victims’ immune system to eliminate parasite from mosquitoes
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have developed an experimental vaccine that could, theoretically, eliminate malaria from entire geographic regions, by eradicating the malaria parasite from an area’s mosquitoes.