Immune System
A man defeated HIV virus through bone marrow transplantAn HIV-positive person, who underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia, has had undetectable HIV viral loads for almost two years. HIV-positive man was ill from leukemia and had underwent treatment by the team led by Prof. Eckhard Thiel, director of the Medical Clinic with a focus on hematology and oncology.
TIM 3 protein turns off HIV fighting T cellsIn HIV-infected patients the body's immune system is unable to fight off the virus. A new study to be published online on November 10th in the Journal of Experimental Medicine shows that T cells in HIV-infected individuals express a protein called TIM-3, which inactivates their virus killing capacity.
Rheumatoid arthritis rising among women in USAfter four decades on the decline, rheumatoid arthritis is on the upswing among women in the United States. That's the finding presented by Mayo Clinic investigators at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals in San Francisco.
HIV infected patients should start HAART soonerUnder current treatment guidelines, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) should be considered for HIV-infected patients when their CD4+ T-cell counts fall below 350 cells per cubic millimeter (mm3).
3 million US children have food or digestive allergiesThe number of young people who had a food or digestive allergy increased 18 percent between 1997 and 2007, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Estimating lives lost due to delay in HIV drug use in South AfricaMore than 330,000 lives were lost to HIV/AIDS in South Africa from 2000 and 2005 because a feasible and timely antiretroviral (ARV) treatment program was not implemented, assert researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in a study published online by the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (JAIDS) (http://www.jaids.com/).
Live cell therapy clinical trial in New Zealand for diabeticsLiving Cell Technologies Limited (ASX: LCT; OTCQX: LVCLY) announced that New Zealand Health Minister, the Honorable David Cunliffe, has approved an application from the company to conduct in New Zealand a Phase I/IIa clinical trial of DiabeCell®, LCT's lead product candidate for the treatment of insulin dependent (Type 1) diabetes.
New drug alemtuzumab for multiple sclerosis patientsA drug which was developed in Cambridge and initially designed to treat a form of leukaemia has also proven effective against combating the debilitating neurological disease multiple sclerosis (MS).
Antiretrovirals with TB treatment reduces mortality in HIV patientsA South African treatment study conducted by researchers in the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health shows that mortality among TB-HIV co-infected patients can be reduced by a remarkable 55%, if antiretroviral therapy (ART) is provided with TB treatment at the same time.
Updated labeling for psoriasis drug Raptiva approvedThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced labeling changes, including a Boxed Warning, to highlight the risks of life-threatening infections, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), with the use of Raptiva (efalizumab).
UN hails recipients of Nobel Prize for discovering HIVThe United Nations has applauded the awarding of the 2008 Nobel Prize for Medicine to two French scientists for their discovery of HIV and for their subsequent pioneering research into the virus.
Indian doctors can't deny HIV+, AIDS patientsIndia's Supreme Court has approved the Indian Govt.'s direction to all States that doctors in government and private hospitals should not refuse treatment to People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA).
Allergic rhinitis, hay fever treated with self adjusted dosingHay fever, the often seasonal allergy that affects between 10 and 20 percent of the American population, is best controlled through a course of patient-adjusted dosing, according to new research published in the September 2008 edition of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.
HIV began spreading among humans between 1884 and 1924New research indicates that the most pervasive global strain of HIV began spreading among humans between 1884 and 1924, suggesting that growing urbanization in colonial Africa set the stage for the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Stomach bacteria protect against type 1 diabetesIn a dramatic illustration of the potential for microbes to prevent disease, researchers at Yale University and the University of Chicago showed that mice exposed to common stomach bacteria were protected against the development of Type I diabetes.
Poor oral hygiene, bleeding gums may cause heart diseasePeople with poor dental hygiene and those who don't brush their teeth regularly end up with bleeding gums, which provide an entry to the bloodstream for up to 700 different types of bacteria found in our mouths.
Breast cancer risk more in women with tough timeHappiness and optimism may play a role against breast cancer while adverse life events can increase the risk of developing the disease - breast cancer, according to a study by Professor Ronit Peled, at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel.
Nplate bone marrow stimulator approved to treat low platelet countsThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Nplate (romiplostim), the first product that directly stimulates the bone marrow to produce needed platelets in patients with a rare blood disorder that can lead to serious bleeding.
Two HIV/TB global leaders announce merger talksFormal merger negotiations were announced between two global leaders on HIV and TB: Health & Development Networks (HDN) and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance - at the XVII International AIDS Conference which concluded in Mexico on 8_August 2008. The merger will create a new joint organisation with a global mandate, which will be part of the Alliance family.
Contraceptive pill influences partner choiceThe contraceptive pill may disrupt women's natural ability to choose a partner genetically dissimilar to themselves, research at the Universities of Liverpool and Newcastle has found.
India to develop HIV AIDS vaccine soonA second Phase I AIDS vaccine clinical trial in India was successfully completed, the Indian Council of Medical Research, the National AIDS Control Organization and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative announced.
HIV risk high in indian women abused by husbandsMarried women in India who experience physical and sexual violence from their husbands have an increased risk of HIV infection, compared with women who are not abused by their husbands, according to a study in the August 13 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights.
Dr. Ramadoss to Mexico to attend AIDS ConferenceIndian Health Minister Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has left for Mexico city and New York on official tour today.
Diving related injuries common among childrenThe thrill of flipping and jumping into water has become common practice among children and adolescents as they dive into more than eight million swimming pools across the United States.
WHO's new HIV AIDS guideAt the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a package of priority interventions designed to help low- and middle-income countries move towards universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.
International AIDS Society updates treatment guidelines for HIV infectionAn evaluation of recent data has led to an update in the guidelines and recommendations for antiretroviral treatment of adult human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, according to an article in the August 6 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS.
Canada inspecting shipments of peppers from MexicoIn keeping with the Government's commitment to food safety, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is taking precautionary actions to prevent the implicated source of the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak in the United States (U.S.) from entering Canada.
40% higher HIV infection estimate in USThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected soon to increase the estimate of new HIV infections in the United States by 40 percent. This highlights the need to make HIV testing a routine part of medical care and provide better funding to care for those who test positive, according to the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA).
Jalapeno, Serrano peppers not connected to Salmonella Saintpaul OutbreakJalapeno and Serrano peppers grown in the United States are not connected with the current Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak, informed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Genetic variation in Africans raises HIV riskA genetic variation which evolved to protect people of African descent against malaria has now been shown to increase their susceptibility to HIV infection by up to 40 per cent, according to new research. Conversely, the same variation also appears to prolong survival of those infected with HIV by approximately two years.
FDA should take steps to challenge bogus immunity claimsUS Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) urges FDA to crack down on food frauds saying that Kraft, General Mills, Dole, & others ripping off consumers with bogus immunity claims.
Update of Salmonella Saintpaul Situation in CanadaPublic Health officials in Canada have reported a case of a Salmonella Saintpaul infection that matches those associated with the outbreak in the United States. The individual involved has indicated that he recently travelled to the United States. Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) officials will continue to work with their colleagues in Canada and the U.S. to monitor the situation and assess further cases.
Rheumatoid arthritis risk higher in people with high birth weightPeople who have a birth weight over 10 pounds are twice as likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis when they are adults compared to individuals born with an average birth weight, according to a study published by researchers from Hospital for Special Surgery online in advance of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Traffic pollution raises childhood allergiesTraffic pollution may increase risk of allergies in children. In a German study, researchers have confirmed that they found a link between traffic pollution and childhood allergies.
Avoid raw red tomatoes in New Mexico, TexasThe Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers in New Mexico and Texas that a salmonellosis outbreak appears to be linked to consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes.
Oestrogen makes male organ resistant to HIVTopical oestrogen applied to the human penis could stop the spread of HIV, revealed by Australian researchers at the University of Melbourne.
New therapy promising for melanoma skin cancerThe combination of two different biotherapies (interferon alfa-2b and tremelimumab) may be beneficial for patients with inoperable melanoma, revealed by researchers in US.
Second hand smoke increases infectious diseases risk in infantsSecond hand smoke decreases immunity in infants and thereby raises risk of infectious diseases and early hospitalization even in the first year of life in infants, revealed by researchers in the BMJ journal Tobacco Control.
First-born babies' have higher asthma and allergy ratesFirst-born children are at higher risk of developing asthma and allergy because of different conditions they experience in the uterus, revealed by researchers.
OPAL Therapy cost-effective method of treating HIVAustralian researchers have unveiled a new immunotherapy technique to help prevent the progression from HIV infection to AIDS. Details of the simple, cost-effective technique are published May 2nd in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens.
Monitoring AIDS treatment by physical signs is effectiveWhen millions of HIV-infected people in poor countries began receiving advanced drug therapies, critics worried that patient care would suffer because few high-tech laboratories were available to guide treatments. But according to a study being published in The Lancet, these concerns are as yet unfounded.
Contaminated heparin not given to New Zealand patientsNew Zealanders who were given the intravenous medication, heparin, can be reassured contaminated products found overseas have not been supplied to the New Zealand market, reported by Medsafe, New Zealand.
Contaminant identified in tainted Baxter's heparinAn international team of researchers led by Massachusetts institute of technology (MIT) has explained how contaminated batches of the blood-thinner heparin were able to slip past traditional safety screens and kill dozens of patients recently in the United States and Germany.
Gene variant CHI3L1 increases risk of asthmaA tiny variation in a gene known as CHI3L1 increases susceptibility to asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and decline in lung function, researchers report early online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
CD16 monocyte could be a biomarker for progression of HIVAn increase in the CD163+/CD16+ monocyte subset could be a biomarker for the progression of HIV disease, according to researchers at Temple University, reported in the March issue of AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses.
Therapeutic cloning may treat Parkinson's diseaseResearch led by investigators at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) has shown that therapeutic cloning, also known as somatic-cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), can be used to treat Parkinson's disease in mice.
HIV cases reduced in New ZealandThe New Zealand AIDS Foundation is welcoming the reduction in overall numbers of new HIV diagnoses in 2007, in particular that diagnoses among gay and bisexual men have remained equivalent to 2006 levels.
HIV AIDS organisations to highlight progress and lessons learnedHIV/AIDS implementers from around the world will gather in Kampala, Uganda, from June 3-7 for the 2008 HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting. Recognizing the rapid expansion of HIV/AIDS programs worldwide, the focus of this year's meeting is building the capacity of local prevention, treatment, and care programs; enhancing quality; and promoting coordination among partners.
ELISpot-Plus blood test to diagnose tuberculosisA new blood test called ELISpot-Plus could enable doctors to rule out tuberculosis (TB) infection within days rather than weeks, according to a new study published this week in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Aromatherapy makes you feel good onlyAromatherapy failed to show any improvement in either immune status, wound healing or pain control among people exposed to two often-touted scents, revealed by researchers in a recent study.