Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Immune System / Vaccines News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/immune_system/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172298.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172298.php An innovative treatment for HIV patients developed by McGill University Health Centre researchers has passed its first clinical trial with flying colours. The new approach is an immunotherapy customized for each individual patient, and was developed by Dr. J-P. Routy from the Research Institute of the MUHC in collaboration with Dr. R. Sékaly from the Université de Montréal. HIV / AIDS Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172281.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172281.php Bacteria don't have easy lives. In addition to mammalian immune systems that besiege the bugs, they have natural enemies called bacteriophages, viruses that kill half the bacteria on Earth every two days. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172288.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172288.php A cancer vaccine carried into the body on a carefully engineered, fingernail-sized implant is the first to successfully eliminate tumors in mammals, scientists report this week in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The new approach, pioneered by bioengineers and immunologists at Harvard University, uses plastic disks impregnated with tumor-specific antigens and implanted under the skin to reprogram the mammalian immune system to attack tumors. Melanoma / Skin Cancer Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172262.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172262.php President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "agreed Tuesday to team up and tackle a checklist of economic, nuclear, security and environmental challenges" as well as collaborate on health and agriculture issues, CNN reports. Singh is in Washington, D.C. for a five-day visit (11/25). The two leaders discussed joint public health efforts, according to Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172218.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172218.php Biotech firm Replikins Ltd., which has analyzed the H1N1 virus' genomic data from the 1918 pandemic through the prediction, outbreak, and progress of the current H1N1 pandemic, issued its latest biochemical analysis of the virus. The new data shows that the lethality of the H1N1 ("Swine Flu") virus has dropped from its peak of 3.7 (s.d. 4.5) during the virus's current outbreak in the spring of 2009 to resting non-epidemic levels this week of 2.0 (s.d. 0.1). Swine Flu Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172204.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172204.php With cold and flu season upon us, certain nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc and selenium are often touted by some to provide protection against seasonal illness. While it's true that these nutrients do boost the immune system, more is not better! "Almost all vitamins and minerals play some role in ensuring an optimal immune response," says Catherine Field, registered dietitian and spokesperson for DC, "but high doses do not help and may do harm. Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172265.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172265.php The WHO is looking into reports that patients with "severely suppressed immune systems" in Britain and the U.S. developed resistance to Tamiflu, which is used to treat the symptoms of H1N1 (swine flu), a spokesman for the organization said Tuesday, Reuters reports. Swine Flu Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172097.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172097.php A study conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore provides the first direct evidence that cigarette smoke exposure prior to a heart transplant in either the donor, recipient, or both, accelerates the death of a transplanted heart. Cardiovascular / Cardiology Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172180.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172180.php UK-based Synexus, the world's largest multi-national company dedicated to the recruitment and running of clinical trials, recruited the highest number of patients to the South African study investigating a paediatric vaccine against rotavirus. The company recruited more than 2000 children aged between 5 and 10 weeks in 3 months, making Synexus the largest single source of subjects for this Phase III trial involving over 3167 children across South Africa. Pediatrics / Children's Health Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172140.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172140.php Representatives of African countries are meeting in Abuja this week to discuss the procurement and distribution of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine, the Daily Trust/allAfrica.com reports (Rabiu, 11/23). Leadership/allAfrica. Swine Flu Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172142.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172142.php The H1N1 vaccine has spurred media interest in vaccines, as well as predictions of vaccines for a host of new diseases. According to Kalorama Information, certain cancers may be added to the list of diseases for which vaccinations will be employed. But this is not a new development. Cancer / Oncology Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172084.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172084.php Preventing disease is the goal of every health care provider and fortunately every year, new vaccines are being added to assist in disease prevention. Immune System / Vaccines Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172040.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172040.php Preventing disease is the goal of every health care provider and fortunately every year, new vaccines are being added to assist in disease prevention. Immune System / Vaccines Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172047.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172047.php Whilst rates of influenza, particularly the new H1N1 strain ('swine flu'), increase in intensity and geographical spread across Europe, the roll out of the vaccination campaigns is receiving mixed levels of uptake and opposition from anti-vaccine campaigners that puts at risk public health and lives, says the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID). Swine Flu Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172061.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172061.php The only swine vaccine available for the H1N1 virus has been sent to vaccinate a swine herd infected with the virus. The vaccination marks the first time vaccine has been sent to a swine herd diagnosed with the pandemic flu. Iowa State University's Hank Harris, professor of animal science, developed the vaccine this summer and has been shipping preventive doses to swine producers in Iowa, Kansas and Illinois for several weeks. Swine Flu Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172063.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172063.php OmniComm Systems, Inc. (OTCBB: OMCM), one of the fastest growing companies in the EDC marketplace, announced that Beardsworth, a full service contract research organization (CRO) who specializes in difficult therapeutic areas, has selected OmniComm's TrialMaster EDC solution for conducting a Phase II vaccine study. The 3-year, 10-site study is planning to enroll 340 subjects. "After a careful selection process, we chose OmniComm Systems to be our preferred EDC provider," said Michael J. Immune System / Vaccines Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172065.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172065.php By studying blood samples from patients recovering from bone marrow transplants, Australian scientists have been able to extract information that could help us fight certain cancers and autoimmune diseases. B cells, the immune cells that produce antibodies, start their development in the bone marrow and complete it in peripheral blood and tissues. Cancer / Oncology Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172035.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172035.php Current research suggests that a common oral bacterium may exacerbate autoimmune disease. The related report by Nichols et al, "Unique Lipids from a Common Human Bacterium Represent a New Class of TLR2 Ligands Capable of Enhancing Autoimmunity," appears in the December 2009 issue of The American Journal of Pathology. Multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease where the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord, affects nearly 1 in 700 people in the United States. Multiple Sclerosis Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171973.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171973.php Liberia Aims To Reach 3M With Yellow Fever Vaccine Liberia's Daily Observer reports on a yellow fever vaccination campaign to begin this week that will aim to inoculate 3 million Liberians. Immune System / Vaccines Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171968.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171968.php The Associated Press/News-Observer examines revitalized vaccine research, including for such conditions as malaria, TB and HIV. "Vaccines are no longer a sleepy, low-profit niche in a booming drug industry. Today, they're starting to give ailing pharmaceutical makers a shot in the arm," according to the article. Immune System / Vaccines Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171974.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171974.php A University of Aberdeen research scientist, Alex Brand (53), who only entered the profession at the age of 40, has been awarded the Medical Research Council New Investigator Grant. The microbiologist also recently received another prestigious funding award, the Royal Society University Research Fellowship. Biology / Biochemistry Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171926.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171926.php IV is a virus related to HIV that can infect monkeys. In some strains of monkey (which are known as natural hosts) SIV does not cause disease, whereas it does in others (which are known as susceptible hosts). It is hoped that understanding why SIV does not cause disease in natural hosts will provide insight into how to control HIV infection of humans. Two independent research teams, one led by Michaela C. HIV / AIDS Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171841.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171841.php UT Southwestern Medical Center is among 10 institutions selected by the National Institutes of Health to share $56 million over five years as part of the Inner City Asthma Consortium (ICAC). The ICAC, which receives funding through the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, investigates novel treatments and causes of asthma in urban children. Dr. Respiratory / Asthma Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171875.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171875.php The introduction of the Group C meningococcal vaccine to the childhood immunisation programme has proved to be one of the most effective health protection measures of recent years, saving hundreds of lives said Health Protection Agency (HPA) immunisation expert Dr Mary Ramsay. Prior to the vaccine's introduction in November 1999 around 1000 cases of Group C meningitis and septicaemia were recorded in England and Wales every year. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171817.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171817.php A special edition of UNICEF's annual State of the World's Children report, released 20 years after the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, shows that "fewer youngsters are dying and more are going to school - but an estimated 1 billion still lack services essential to their survival and development," the Pediatrics / Children's Health