Latest and Breaking Infectious Diseases News

NIH-sponsored research yields promising malaria drug candidate
2 September 2010, 4:00 am
(NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) A chemical that rid mice of malaria-causing parasites after a single oral dose may eventually become a new malaria drug if further tests in animals and people uphold the promise of early findings. The compound, NITD609, was developed by an international team of researchers including Elizabeth A. Winzeler, Ph.D., a grantee of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Team discovers new type of anti-malarial compound
2 September 2010, 4:00 am
(Scripps Research Institute) An international team led by scientists from the Scripps Research Institute, the Swiss Tropical Institute, the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation and the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases has discovered a promising new drug candidate that represents a new class of drug to treat malaria. Clinical trials for the compound are planned for later this year.

Chronic Lyme disease: How often is it diagnosed and treated?
2 September 2010, 4:00 am
(Elsevier Health Sciences) The existence of chronic Lyme disease is an issue of sharp debate within the medical community. Many doctors are concerned with the potential dangers associated with the prolonged and intensive use of oral and intravenous antibiotics (the recommended treatment for chronic Lyme disease), such as blood clots and life threatening infections. A study soon to be published in the Journal of Pediatrics attempts to determine how often chronic Lyme disease is actually being diagnosed and treated.

Serendipity contributes to MRSA susceptibility findings
2 September 2010, 4:00 am
(Duke University Medical Center) Duke University Medical Center researchers have found two genes in mice which might help identify why some people are more susceptible than others to potentially deadly staph infections.

JCI online early table of contents: Sept. 1, 2010
1 September 2010, 4:00 am
(Journal of Clinical Investigation) This release contains summaries, links to PDFs, and contact information for the following newsworthy papers to be published online, Sept. 1, 2010, in the JCI: "Protecting nerve cells from death in a model of stroke"; "Modified adenovirus malaria vaccine works a treat in mice"; "Mechanisms of testicular cancer drug resistance"; "Pacifying protein levels to treat diabetes"; "Preemptive approach to decreasing scarring in the heart"; and others.

Charitable behavior found in bacteria
1 September 2010, 4:00 am
(Boston University College of Engineering) Boston University, Harvard researchers discover "charitable" behavior in bacteria populations, where individuals with the highest antibiotic resistance sacrifice so the whole population can better fight off medication.

New TB diagnostic proves effective, expedient, study finds
1 September 2010, 4:00 am
(NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) A molecular test designed to easily diagnose tuberculosis (TB) and detect a drug-resistant form of the bacterium that causes TB can provide much more specific, sensitive and rapid results than currently available TB diagnostics, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Cranberry juice shows promise blocking Staph infections
1 September 2010, 4:00 am
(Worcester Polytechnic Institute) Expanding their scope of study on the mechanisms of bacterial infection, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have reported the surprise finding from a small clinical study that cranberry juice cocktail blocked a strain of Staphylococcus aureus from beginning the process of infection. The data was reported in a poster presentation at the American Chemical Society's recent national meeting by Terri Camesano, professor of chemical engineering at WPI.

Treatment for S. aureus skin infection works in mouse model
31 August 2010, 4:00 am
(NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) Scientists from the National Institutes of Health and University of Chicago have found a promising treatment method that in laboratory mice reduces the severity of skin and soft-tissue damage caused by USA300, the leading cause of community-associated Staphylococcus aureus infections in the United States.

Hospitals face legal dilemma if they test incapacitated patients after needle accidents
31 August 2010, 4:00 am
(Wiley-Blackwell) Anesthetists are calling for greater clarity on the legal implications of testing incapacitated patients for blood-borne viruses, after a survey found that this is often done following staff needle-stick injuries, in possible breach of legislation.