Live Virus
Hepatitis C declines health with liver diseaseAn NIH funded multi-center clinical trial found no benefit from "maintenance therapy," low-dose peginterferon used for hepatitis C patients who have not responded to an initial round of treatment.
109 medicines, vaccines in development for HIV AIDSAmerica's pharmaceutical research companies are testing 109 medicines and vaccines to treat or prevent HIV/AIDS and related conditions, according to a report released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
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.
2 doses of flu vaccine needed against bird flu pandemicAn international study led by University of Leicester researchers has determined that vaccination will be the best way to protect people in the event of the next influenza pandemic – but that each person would need two doses.
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.
12 diseases worsened by climate changeHealth experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society released a report that lists 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change, with potential impacts to both human and wildlife health and global economies.
Cold sore's herpes simplex virus mechanism revealedNow that Duke University Medical Center scientists have figured out how the virus that causes cold sores hides out, they may have a way to wake it up and kill it.
Anti HIV gel Tenofovir proven safe for womenAn experimental anti HIV gel is safe for women to use on a daily basis, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Herpes virus link to complications in pregnancyViral infection with high blood pressure during pregnancy may lead to pre-term birth, revealed by researchers at Adelaide's Women's & Children's Hospital and the University of Adelaide.
Zydus Cadila introduces Nudoxa cancer drugZydus Cadila has introduced an NDDS product 'Nudoxa' for the treatment of various cancers. One of the critical drugs used in chemotherapy, Nudoxa heralds a new approach in cancer therapy.
Tattooing improves DNA vaccine responseTattooing is a more effective way of delivering DNA vaccines; a tattoo can be more than just a fashion statement – it has potential medical value, according to an article published in the online open access journal, Genetic Vaccines and Therapy.
DNA sequencing found virus killing transplant recipients in AustraliaIn the first application of high throughput DNA sequencing technology to investigate an infectious disease outbreak, link the discovery of a new arenavirus to the deaths of three transplant recipients who received organs from a single donor in Victoria, Australia in April 2007.
New hope for hepatitis C sufferersUniversity of Adelaide virologists Dr Michael Beard and Dr Karla Helbig will work with colleagues from the University of NSW to develop new strategies to treat and prevent hepatitis C, which infects more than 170 million people around the world.
Researchers cracking the code of bird flu time bombResearchers at Griffith University Institute for Glycomics, Queensland led by Professor Mark von Itzstein have developed a technique to 'crack-the-code' of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. It will enable influenza virus specialists and drug researchers to interrogate one of the virus' key surface proteins without risk of infection.
European influenza viruses resistant to tamiflu, oseltamivirPreliminary surveillance into antiviral drug susceptibility against seasonal flu viruses currently circulating in Europe has revealed that some of the A (H1N1) viruses (13%) have shown resistance to the antiviral drug, oseltamivir (Tamiflu). These viruses however, remain sensitive to the antivirals, zanamivir and amantadine.
Gene therapy promising for chronic pain reliefNow, chronic pain can be successfully treated with novel targeted gene therapy. In an effort to find a more effective treatment for chronic pain, researchers at Mount Sinai developed a gene therapy technique that simulates the pain-killing effect of opiate drugs.
Ebola virus disarmed by excising a single geneThe deadly Ebola virus, an emerging public health concern in Africa and a potential biological weapon, ranks among the most feared of exotic pathogens. Due to its virulent nature, and because no vaccines or treatments are available, scientists studying the agent have had to work under the most stringent biocontainment protocols, limiting research to a few highly specialized labs and hampering the ability of scientists to develop countermeasures.
Newly discovered virus linked to skin cancerResearchers using sequencing technique discovered a new cancer virus Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) causing Kaposi's sarcoma, is associated with another rare but deadly skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma.
273 human proteins required for HIV propagationCurrent drugs attack HIV itself, leaving patients vulnerable to counterattack by the rapidly mutating virus, which often evolves resistance. But the human proteins exploited by HIV represent potential therapeutic targets that could avoid this problem. The challenge will be to develop drugs that inhibit HIV by interacting with these human proteins without hurting our cells.
Protein may trigger insulin production in diabetic patientsIf the human body were a stage, then proteins would rank among the lead actors in the play we call "Life." These large biological molecules hold many starring roles, and their lines are dictated by information encoded in our genes. They are production powerhouses, regulating the basic processes of living and controlling countless functions. Many are enzymes that produce or use energy. Others regulate genes.
New strategies work to put cancer on the firing lineDr. Yukai He wants to put cancer in the bull's eye. "Cancer really comes from us," the Medical College of Georgia Cancer Center immunologist says of the scary reality that cancer cells are our own cells gone awry. That means our immune system doesn't always see cancer as a horrific invader.