Virus Weekly articles from March 2002

Virus Weekly archives from March 2002

Fibrosis and cirrhosis marked by circulating levels of TIMP-1 and MMP-2.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Circulating levels of two extracellular factors could actually help doctors evaluate progression of fibrosis or cirrhosis in their patients with chronic...

Interleukin-2 useful for treating those coinfected with HIV, hepatitis C.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - There have been some reports that coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) worsens liver disease in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV)....

Cytotoxic T-cell activity crucial for persistently uninfected women.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity protects women who remain uninfected with HIV despite extensive exposure, a finding that may be useful for vaccine development,...

Childhood viral infections can reduce allergy risk.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - When contracted during childhood, some viral infections reduce the risk of allergic disorders later in life, researchers in Finland report. Terhi Kilpi and...

Fluorogenic 5'-nuclease assays may have prognostic value.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in the United States say that they may have found a useful prognostic tool for use with patients suffering from Ebola virus infection. Tammy R....

Vietnam plans to produce cheap AIDS drugs.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Vietnam plans to produce cheap copies of internationally patented drugs for treatment of its growing number of AIDS patients, a government official has announced. The official of the Anti-AIDS...

Berna Biotech teams with IAVI, Gallo lab, Uganda for test.(International AIDS Vaccine Initiative)(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Swiss vaccine manufacturer Berna Biotech, Ltd., has joined a cross-national team to test a new vaccine to prevent HIV infection and AIDS designed specifically for use in developing countries. Berna...

Onyx awarded European patent for adenovirus-based treatment.(Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (ONXX) announced that the European Patent Office has granted the company European Patent No. 931830B1, which covers replicating viral-based therapy for treating cancer. ...

Efforts to prevent perinatal HIV transmission in Michigan highly successful.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Efforts to prevent perinatal HIV transmission in Michigan have been highly successful, with the percentage of children perinatally infected with HIV decreasing significantly from 19% (15) of children...

Gates, Bono call on leaders at World Economic Forum to increase health spending.(Bill Gates)(Bono of U2)(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Addressing leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in his capacity as cofounder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, joined by pop star Bono of U2, called on government, industry and...

AVANIR Pharmaceuticals expands docosanol distribution through licensing agreement.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AVANIR Pharmaceuticals (AVN) has established a license agreement with Biopharm Group to manufacture and market docosanol 10% cream in Egypt, select countries of the Middle East and the Gulf Cooperative...

Cytokine dysregulation underlies symptoms.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - A massive proinflammatory and proapoptotic cytokine response underlies the symptoms of Ebola infection, researchers in Maryland argue. "Ebola virus (EBOV)...

Study examines hepatitis A, B, and C in South African healthcare workers.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2002... 2002 MAR 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Preemployment screening as well as vaccination, training and standardized postexposure policies could help reduce the risk of occupational exposure to viral...

Rising papillomavirus-related oral warts rate may be positive sign.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - The incidence of oral warts is rising in HIV infected patients although this may actually be a positive sign, according to researchers in the United States....

Satellites track epidemiology in U.S.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A NASA-funded study uses temperature and vegetation data from satellites to help track and predict where West Nile virus is spreading in North America. Scientists and public health officials hope one...

Protein sorting factor possible target for Ebola, HIV treatment.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in the United States have identified a possible target for therapy against both HIV and Ebola virus infection. "Retroviral Gag proteins encode...

Molecular assays valuable in diagnosis and strain identification.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Terry Hartnett, senior medical writer - Scientists have not applied the same standards for diagnosing the cause of common viruses as they do for detecting the influenza virus, say U.S. government...

Review looks at progression factors after hepatitis C exposure.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A host of factors can determine prognosis after a person becomes infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). A large-scale population study of individuals in...

GenVec, Inc., signs $10 million contract with NIAID.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- GenVec, Inc., (GNVC) has signed a contract with the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) under...

DNA array makes new information available about hepatitis C and genes.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - With the advent of microarray technology in recent years, studying genetics has become a less difficult proposition. Using cDNA array analysis, scientists in...

New ethics guidelines announced for HIV patients.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Fertility specialists shouldn't dismiss the idea of helping some HIV infected parents have children, new ethics guidelines say. The standards issued February 13, 2002 by the American Society for...

Company announces record financial results for 2001.(Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., (BIO.A; BIO.B) reported a 31.2% increase in fourth revenue compared with the fourth quarter of last year and a 12.6% increase for the full year. When adjusted for...

Achillion inks agreement to evaluate next-generation antihepatitis and HIV agents.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- ViroLogic, Inc., (VLGC) has inked an agreement with Achillion Pharmaceuticals, a privately held pharmaceutical company, to use ViroLogic's drug-resistance assays to evaluate Achillion's lead product...

Mexico approves natural interferon.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Viragen, Inc., (VRA) and Viragen International, Inc., (VERP) have announced that its natural human interferon-(alpha) has been approved for sale in Mexico. The Mexican regulatory authorities...

WHO: Vaccine fears could lead to unnecessary deaths.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Safety fears that have led some British parents to refuse to have their children vaccinated could lead to many unnecessary deaths if the concerns spread to developing countries, the United Nations...

Many hospitalized seniors have virus before admission.(pneumonia)(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Terry Hartnett, senior medical writer - Nursing homes are a breeding ground for pneumonia, and many residents are hospitalized with a potentially deadly diagnosis that could easily have been...

Bronchiolitis increasing among younger children with flu.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Terry Hartnett, senior medical writer - Nearly two-thirds of children who contact the type A influenza virus are also susceptible to a secondary strain that causes bronchiolitis, say researchers in...

Young children in developing countries particularly susceptible.(lower respiratory infection)(Brief Article)
March 12, 2002... 2002 MAR 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Terry Hartnett, senior medical writer - Immunizing infants and toddlers in developing countries against recurrent lower respiratory infection could have positive short- and long-term effects,...

Antiretroviral-induced immune recovery can increase Epstein-Barr risk.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Partially effective antiretroviral treatment for HIV can increase the risk of complications linked to Epstein-Barr virus infection, researchers in Italy...

Unusual virus identified in aborted calf.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A group of viruses that can move from one animal species to another and cause a wide range of diseases has been found in the lungs of an aborted calf fetus. The findings by researchers in the...

Immune cell counts have little effect on hepatitis C diversity.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Immune cell levels have only a limited effect on the genetic features of hepatitis C virus (HCV) populations in HIV patients, according to researchers in...

NCI starting large-scale HPV vaccine trials.(National Cancer Institute)(human papillomavirus )(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Lynn Yoffee, senior medical writer - Large-scale efficacy trials are being initiated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for a vaccine to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV). ...

Researchers discover rapid-response, interferon-producing cells.
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Nearly 50 years ago, researchers discovered that when cells in laboratory cultures are infected by a virus, they secrete a substance that protects other cells from infection. In 1957 Alick Issaks...

Carboxamides inhibit herpesvirus activity.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in the United States have uncovered a novel class of agents that may be useful for treating herpesvirus-related disorders. "Through broad...

Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center enters drug discovery research collaboration.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc., (CIPH) has signed a research and license agreement with the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center (ADARC). This agreement contains detailed plans to pursue projects related...

Health workers to slaughter more chickens in Hong Kong.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Health workers in Hong Kong began slaughtering 190,000 chickens February 16, 2002 after five more farms were found be infected with avian flu, the government reported. A statement said all the...

Strange rash baffles medical sleuths.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hundreds of youngsters in at least seven states have broken out in mysterious rashes, and some health investigators suspect it might be caused by a new or yet-to-be-identified virus. The red,...

E.U. says scientists find new test for early detection.(European Union )(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers from Europe and Africa have developed a new test for Ebola fever that could lead to earlier detection of the deadly virus, the European Union announced. E.U. Research Commissioner...

Company reports fourth-quarter, year-end 2001 financial results.(Maxygen Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Maxygen, Inc., (MAXY) reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2001. For the year ended December 31, 2001, Maxygen reported a pro forma net loss of $24.2...

Thousands received ineffective vaccine in Brazil, officials say.(hepatitis A)(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- As many as 60,000 Brazilians may have to get revaccinated against hepatitis A after the company that makes the vaccine said some doses weren't potent enough, a health official says. Merck & Co....

DermaSeptic uses silver atoms to clear herpes, cold sores and acne.(Klearsen Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Klearsen Corp. has announced that its new electronic device uses the antimicrobial properties of silver to prevent and clear up herpes lesions, cold sores, fever blisters, pimples, acne, and warts. ...

Debugging the flu: Antibiotics are not always the answer.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- As the Twin Cities enter the middle of what is traditionally the peak of the flu and cold season, area clinics are reminding people that during the cold, cough, and flu season, patients will see their...

Panel advises flu shots for babies.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A U.S. advisory panel decided to encourage flu shots for children ages 6-23 months - a group not previously on the recommended list for the vaccine. The government currently recommends the vaccine...

Abreva became top pharmacist-recommended OTC cold sore product.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Avanir Pharmaceuticals (AVN) presented at Roth Capital Partners' 14th Annual Growth Stock Conference in Dana Point, California. Management's presentation highlighted the milestones Avanir achieved...

More cases reported in London, despite promotion of MMR.(United Kingdom)(measles-mumps-rubella vaccine)(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Nine new cases of measles have been confirmed in London, raising concerns that many parents are ignoring a government appeal to use the standard children's vaccine. The new cases, reported by...

South African province challenges government on AIDS.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2002... 1902 MAR 26 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Challenging the government's AIDS policy, South Africa's wealthiest province will make available a key drug which could drastically reduce the number of babies born with HIV, a top official has...