CDC Provides Zika Resources for Researchers, Healthcare Providers, and the Public
May 6th 2016As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) learns more about the threat of Zika virus infection on pregnant women and their growing fetuses, it will continue to share its knowledge with researchers, healthcare providers and the public.
HIV May Cause Premature Aging in Infected Individuals
May 4th 2016The results of a methylome-wide analysis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) chronically infected, combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART)-treated individuals recently published in Molecular Cell suggest that HIV+ individuals have an epigenetic age 4.9 years older than healthy controls, resulting in an expected total mortality risk increase of 19%.
Innovative Mosquito Control May be the Answer to Eradicating Vector-Borne Illnesses
May 3rd 2016Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya. These are the most recent viruses causing outbreaks in several regions of the world, all spread through the bite of an infected female Aedes aegypti mosquito. There is currently no cure for these viruses, which makes infection prevention a priority.
Research on Universal Vaccine for Influenza Uncovers More Than Just Financial Limitations
May 2nd 2016A recent review article on the status of influenza vaccines, their short-comings, and ways to improve them suggests the potential for significant improvements in the performance of future influenza vaccines.
Antibiotic Resistance is More Complex Than You Think
May 2nd 2016Adding to the troubling data worldwide on antibiotic resistance, researchers have found that even trace concentrations of antibiotics, such as those found in sewage, are sufficient for bacteria to maintain resistance to most broad-spectrum agents.
Controversy Arises on Added Benefit of Rilpivirine for HIV-Positive Children and Adolescents
May 2nd 2016In a one-arm study examined by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), the added benefit of rilpivirine for HIV-positive children and adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18, was not proven, contrary to the belief of the manufacturer.
Study Confirms: Transmission of Mosquito-Borne Viruses via Blood Transfusion is Probable
April 29th 2016Researchers analyzed archived blood donor samples collected during and after the 2014 epidemic of Chikungunya virus in Puerto Rico, and found that as many as 2 percent of the samples tested positive for Chikungunya RNA.
Study Calls for Alternatives to Egg-Based Manufacturing of Influenza Vaccines
April 28th 2016Because certain viral sub-types are associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality than others, efforts to improve the effectiveness of influenza vaccines remain an important focus of future research.
Study Shows HIV Can Develop Resistance to Promising HIV Therapy
April 28th 2016A recent study has shown that although the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology can stop human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication, it also results in unexpected viral resistance and thereby limits use of the technology in HIV therapy.
Study Challenges WHO Recommendation to Increase HCV Screening in HIV-Infected Populations
April 27th 2016In a recent study of 1,812 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals in sub-Saharan Africa, researchers found that none of these individuals had confirmed hepatitis C virus replication.
Researchers Conclude: US Southern States Need to Prepare for Possible Zika Outbreak
April 26th 2016Study suggests that the risk of Zika virus transmission is particularly high in the southeast as well as in south Texas, where locally-acquired cases of Aedes-transmitted viruses have been reported previously.
CDC and OSHA Issue Interim Guidance to Prevent Workers from Contracting Zika Virus
April 26th 2016On Friday, April 22, 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to set interim guidance for those working in the fields where exposure to the Zika virus is inevitable.