Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/infectious_diseases/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156257.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156257.php -- 30 confirmed cases in Wales, with 4 new cases: - A 64-year-old female from the Vale of Glamorgan who has stayed in an area where there is sustained community spread. Close contacts have been identified. She has been offered antiviral medicine and is recovering well. The NPHS is investigating the source of the infection. - A 23-year-old male from Swansea who is a direct contact of a confirmed case in Exeter. Close contacts have been identified. Swine Flu Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156395.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156395.php A new type of optical particle trap can be used to manipulate bacteria, viruses and other particles on a chip as part of an integrated optofluidic platform. The optical trap is the latest innovation from researchers at the Jack Baskin School of Engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who are developing new sensor technology for biomedical analysis and other applications. Medical Devices / Diagnostics Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156425.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156425.php When left untreated, children infected with Lyme disease can experience many severe complications as a result including arthritis, problems with the heart or central nervous system. Lyme disease in children is often overlooked in its earliest stages, leading to these complications later on, according to Emma Jane MacDermott, M.D., pediatric rheumatologist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Arthritis / Rheumatology Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156351.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156351.php Researchers from the Universities of York and Leeds have been awarded £3.3m from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to find out how a family of proteins known as colicins force their way into bacterial cells before destroying them. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156273.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156273.php The persistent cool and damp weather in the Northeast this spring put many outdoor activities on hold. With the weather finally improving, many people will head outdoors, and when they do, they are likely to find a perennial pest has been lurking, ready to latch onto the next warm-blooded body that comes by. "And that could spell serious health trouble," warns Dr. Chad Richmond, a family physician at the UDMNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156280.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156280.php Scientists are to study a group of proteins that are highly effective at killing bacteria and which could hold the key to developing new types of antibiotics. Researchers from the Universities of York and Leeds have been awarded £3.3m from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to find out how a family of proteins known as colicins force their way into bacterial cells before destroying them. Bio-terrorism / Terrorism Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156306.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156306.php Scientists in the US and the Netherlands discovered what most doctors already suspected: the new H1N1 swine flu virus causes more severe infection than seasonal flu, but the two groups disagreed on how easily it spreads, with one finding that it spreads easily while the other finding it does not. The two studies are published in the 2 July online issue of Science. Swine Flu Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156225.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156225.php HIV-infected infants risk contracting a deadly form of tuberculosis from the bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, instead of receiving protection against the disease, according to research published today in the international public health journal, the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. While the BCG vaccine is given to approximately 75% of newborn babies worldwide, a South African study has found that its harm may outweigh the benefits for HIV-infected infants. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156229.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156229.php An otherwise effective treatment for cystic fibrosis places patients at a high risk of sensorineural hearing loss, according to new research published in the July edition of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). Cystic Fibrosis Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156193.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156193.php The Texas Department of State Health Services is reminding swimmers and skiers to take precautions to avoid infection from Naegleria fowleri, an ameba assumed to be present in all rivers, lakes, ponds, tanks and streams. The ameba can cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM, an infection of the brain. Though PAM is rare, it is almost always fatal. The ameba thrives in warm, stagnant water but may be present in any body of fresh water. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156173.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156173.php The public was well-served today with the release of a report by the New York State Department of Health (DOH) about hospital-acquired infection rates at specific facilities in New York State. But more information is needed about how to correct these problems, such the high rate of central line-associated bloodstream infections identified in the report. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156189.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156189.php Researchers at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center are injecting a modified herpes virus into melanoma tumors, hoping to kill the cancer cells while also bolstering the body's immune defenses against the disease. Melanoma / Skin Cancer Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156166.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156166.php Deadly diseases including plague, Ebola and Rift Valley Fever are being targeted as part of a new multi-million pound international partnership involving African researchers and the London International Development Centre (LIDC). Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156049.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156049.php Lyme disease in the U.S. is caused by the tick-borne bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and usually begins with a skin lesion, after which the bacteria spread throughout the body to the nervous system, heart or joints. About 60 percent of untreated individuals develop arthritis, which affects the knees in particular. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156053.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156053.php Researchers at the University of Michigan have devised a microscale tool to help them understand the mechanical behavior of biofilms, slimy colonies of bacteria involved in most human infectious diseases. Most bacteria in nature take the form of biofilms. Bacteria are single-celled organisms, but they rarely live alone, said John Younger, associate chair for research in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the U-M Health System. Medical Devices / Diagnostics Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155983.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155983.php The British Medical Journal examines the outcome of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya, last week. Tropical Diseases Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156004.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156004.php A recent study carried out by the Health Protection Agency and LACORS (Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services) has revealed the presence of Salmonella and E. coli bacteria in a small number of samples of ready-to-eat shelled nuts. Consumption of nuts has gone up, reflecting a growing preference for snacks that are both healthy and convenient. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156016.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156016.php It is based on detecting short, repetitive DNA segments in the genome of bacteria. Every single bacterial strain has such characteristic repeats. "With this method we are able to identify bacterial strains as well as clarify their genetic relationships. Furthermore, we can show how new pathogenic variants develop," says Manfred Höfle, researcher at the HZI. The results have now been published in the current issue of the scientific journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156019.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156019.php "Patients, policymakers, and practitioners all agree that reliable, accurate, and consistent quality measures are essential elements in improving health care services. This report is a clear indication that the efforts hospitals continue to make to prevent and control infections are having a positive impact on patient care. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156003.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156003.php Additional research is called for and patients with moderate to severe periodontitis should receive evaluation and possible treatment to reduce their risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a special consensus paper by editors of The American Journal of Cardiology and Journal of Peridontology in the July 1, 2009 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology, published by Elsevier. Dentistry Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156005.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156005.php An unusual study at the Department of Surgery at Heidelberg University Hospital examined for the first time whether the incision technique used in major abdominal surgery had an effect on the results. Neither physician nor patient knew what kind of incision had been made. The study of 200 patients showed that pain perception and the healing process were unrelated to the technique used to open the abdominal cavity. GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155919.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155919.php Calixa Therapeutics Inc. today announced the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial of CXA-101 in patients with complicated urinary tract infections. CXA-101 is a new broad-spectrum, parenteral cephalosporin antibiotic with excellent in vitro and in vivo activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, including drug resistant isolates. Calixa is investigating CXA-101 as a potential treatment for serious bacterial infections in hospitalized patients. Urology / Nephrology Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155923.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155923.php Otitis media, more commonly known as an ear infection, is the most frequently diagnosed illness in children less than 15 years of age in the United States and is the primary cause for emergency room visits. More than 80 percent of children will experience at least one ear infection before their third birthday. Much research has been dedicated to preventing this common childhood disease at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Ear, Nose and Throat Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155937.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155937.php With temperatures predicted to soar this week, the UK's longest established meningitis charity - the Meningitis Trust - is urging people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease, as cases are known to peak during hot summers. Viral meningitis is a disease that can cause life-changing after-effects and although it is very rarely life-threatening, it can take people a long time to recover. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155902.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155902.php A new computer model developed at MIT can help solve a problem that has plagued drug companies trying to develop promising new treatments made of antibodies: Such drugs have a relatively short shelf life because they tend to clump together, rendering them ineffective. Antibodies are the most rapidly growing class of human drugs, with the potential to treat cancer, arthritis and other chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases. Cancer / Oncology