Virus Weekly articles from November 2004

Virus Weekly archives from November 2004

Real-time PCR is an efficient method to detect PVB19 infection in heart tissue.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers have reported on their analysis of myocardial tissue from explanted hearts of heart transplant recipients and multi-organ donors for the presence of parvovirus B19 DNA. According to a...

EBV is integrated between REL and BCL-11A in American Burkitt lymphoma cell line.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Epstein Barr Virus is integrated between REL and BCL-11A in the American Burkitt lymphoma cell line. "Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) initially isolated from the cultured Burkitt lymphoma (BL) cells, is...

Influenza B virus lacks sequence homology to influenza A virus antigenic sites.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Influenza B virus lacks sequence homology to influenza A virus antigenic sites. According to a study from the United States, "Mitogenic activity of UV-inactivated influenza viruses in cord blood...

LEDGF/p75 is a component of functional lentiviral preintegration complexes.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Transcriptional coactivator LEDGF/p75 is a component of functional lentiviral preintegration complexes. According to recent research from the United States, "Human immunodeficiency virus type 1...

Highly infectious SARS-CoV reveals cell tropism/receptor expression correlation.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Highly infectious SARS-CoV pseudotypes reveals cell tropism and receptor expression correlation. According to a study from China, "Studies of SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-the causative agent of...

HIV-1 superinfections assessed by autologous heteroduplex mobility.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists have assessed HIV-1 superinfections in a cohort of commercial sex workers in Burkina Faso by an autologous heteroduplex mobility procedure. In a recently published article, scientists in...

Membrane Cofactor Protein identified as adenovirus receptor.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Membrane Cofactor Protein is identified as the adenovirus receptor. "A tandem mass spectrometry-based approach is demonstrated for detecting a receptor for Ad37, one of the causative agents for...

New laboratory provides key research into animal diseases.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new $58 million lab at Michigan State University will be a key to detecting diseases that start in animals but can be transmitted to people. The Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health...

Antisense inhibitors of TRADD could modulate TNF-related pathologies.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antisense inhibitors of TRADD could modulate TNF-related pathologies. "Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 1-associated death domain protein (TRADD) is an adaptor protein known to be involved in...

RANTES haplotypes influence the response to chronic hepatitis C therapy.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- RANTES haplotypes influence the response to chronic hepatitis C therapy. "The response to antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) is complex and is determined by both environmental and...

Reassortant influenza vaccines control avian influenza.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists have generated reassortant influenza vaccines by reverse genetics that allows utilization of a Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) strategy for the control of avian...

Hepatitis B virus core promoter mutations prevail in liver cancer.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hepatitis B virus core promoter mutations prevail in liver cancer. "The role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes, core promoter (CP) and precore mutants on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still...

Raf kinase expression increases mortality of influenza-infected mice.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lung-specific expression of active Raf kinase results in increased mortality of influenza A virus-infected mice. According to published research from Germany, "Alterations in signaling via the...

Infection site and patient ethnicity affect HPV-induced cancer pathways.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The site of infection and ethnicity of the patient influence the biological pathways to HPV-induced mucosal cancer. According to published research from Australia, "High-risk human papillomaviruses...

Estrogen receptor alpha genotypes associate with susceptibility to hepatitis B.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Estrogen receptor alpha genotypes associate with susceptibility to hepatitis B. "Several studies have demonstrated that estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) participates in the pathogenesis of persistent...

Lamivudine does not improve the response of hepatitis B to peginterferon.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lamivudine does not improve the response of hepatitis B to peginterferon. Available treatments for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B are associated with poor sustained...

Real-time PCR and melting curve analysis offer rapid assessments of hepatitis B.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Real-time PCR and melting curve analysis offer rapid assessments of hepatitis B. "Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype and HBV DNA levels have been implicated in clinical evaluation and prognosis of...

Serum hepatitis B virus strains parallel hepatic strains in acute exacerbations.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Serum hepatitis B virus strains parallel hepatic strains in acute exacerbations. According to published research from Taiwan, "acute exacerbation (AE) of chronic hepatitis B is usually preceded by...

Site-specific keratin hyperphosphorylation marks liver disease progression.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Site-specific keratin hyperphosphorylation marks liver disease progression. According to published research from the United States, "keratin 8 and 18 (K8/18) phosphorylation plays a significant and...

Porcine circovirus type 2 from pigs was in Croatia detected and characterized.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Porcine circovirus type 2 from pigs was in Croatia was detected and characterized. According to a study from Croatia, "Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) from the Circoviridae family has recently been...

Epivir-HBV delays liver complications from chronic hepatitis B.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The results of a large, controlled, multi centered study were published in The New England Journal of Medicine indicating that long-term treatment with Epivir-HBV (lamivudine) delayed disease...

Agreement signed to market docosanol 10% cream in Scandanavia.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Avanir Pharmaceuticals (AVN) announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with ACO HUD to manufacture and market Avanir's docosanol 10% cream as a treatment for cold sores in Sweden, Norway,...

E-mail surveys assist investigation and response in conjunctivitis outbreak.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- E-mail surveys can assist the investigation and response in a conjunctivitis outbreak. "A conjunctivitis outbreak affecting more than 200 individuals occurred on a university campus in Evanston,...

Microneutralization assay using cytomegalovirus strains developed.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists have developed an efficient fluorescence-based microneutralization assay using recombinant human cytomegalovirus strains expressing green fluorescent protein. "MedImmune Vaccines has...

Viral DNA damage in presence of RB, UV light may make normal repair less likely.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Viral DNA damage in presence of riboflavin and UV light may make normal repair less likely. Researchers in the United States are "developing a technology based on the combined application of...

HIV diagnostic proves effective in Dominican Republic trials.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Medical Services International (MSITF) announced that it has completed a series of testing of its VScan HIV 1&2 rapid test kit in the Dominican Republic, and the results showed 100% accuracy in terms of...

Chinese CDC attends HIV/AIDS training seminar.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Diagnostic test developer MedMira Inc. (MMIRF) announced a series of technical training seminars in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the People's Republic of China. These...

Total HCV core antigen assay detects early infection but not viral elimination.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Total HCV core antigen assay detects early infection but not viral elimination. "The present study assesses the clinical usefulness of the hepatitis C core antigen assay for monitoring of patients...

Immune restoration disease arises in association with antiretroviral therapy.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Immune restoration disease arises in association with antiretroviral therapy. "Suppression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication by highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) often...

Older women's knowledge of HIV is lacking, study finds.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Age is no defense against AIDS. Women aged 50 and older are living longer and remain sexually active, yet many lack appropriate knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention, according to recent...

Inhalation drug company secures new funding.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- LAB International Inc., (LAB), a drug development company focused on the inhalation market, has announced $8.25 million in new long-term bank financing from two financial institutions, HSBC Bank Canada...

Novel antiapoptotic protein X-linked IAP antagonists potential cancer therapy.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Novel antiapoptotic protein XIAP antagonists are a potential therapy for cancers overexpressing X-linked IAP. "Inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins are overexpressed in many cancers and have been...

Novel compounds exhibit antiviral and antitumor effects.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Novel compounds exhibit antiviral and antitumor effect. Novel platinum compounds and antiviral guanosine-type ligands are antiviral/antitumor. According to a study from Italy, "Platinum...

Ascorbate-Cu(II) protects CF-1 mice against HSV-2 encephalitis.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ascorbate-Cu(II) inactivated HSV-2 and protected CF-1 mice against encephalitis. "Ascorbate is an important antioxidant. However, in the presence of transition metals such as Cu(II) or Fe(III), it...

Diagnostics firm secured new funding to develop new sensor technology.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Diagnostic systems developer LabNow, Inc., announced that it has raised $14 million in equity financing from a syndicate of private and venture investors led by George Soros, with the participation of...

ELISA to detect foot-and-mouth disease virus antibodies developed.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers have developed a biotinylated 3ABC recombinant protein in a solid-phase competitive ELISA for the detection of antibodies against foot-and-mouth disease virus. According to recent...

Comparative study of Legionnaire's disease published.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A team at the Institut Pasteur associated with the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), and in collaboration with the National Reference Center for Legionella in Lyon, has compared the...

Group B rotaviruses have been circulating in Western India since 1993.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Group B rotaviruses have been circulating in Western India since 1993. According to a study from India, "Generally, group A rotaviruses are the most common cause of pediatric diarrhea. However,...

Biopharma company intends to continue development of treatment for Cachexia.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- PhytoMedical Technologies, Inc., (OTCBB:PYTO) announced its intention to continue development of its proprietary "BDC-03" compound, targeting Cachexia - a gravely deteriorating "human wasting" condition...

HIV-1 non-B subtypes from heterosexual transmission predominate in Scotland.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- HIV-1 non-B subtypes acquired from heterosexual transmissions predominate in Scotland. According to a study from Scotland, "Historically, subtype B viruses in men who have sex with men (MSM) and...

New lead in quest to protect women from sexual HIV transmission.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists have long sought a vaginal gel that women could apply before sex to block the AIDS virus. Now they've found a new lead, a chemical specially designed to thwart the way HIV penetrates women's...

Peer program teaches inmates about HIV/AIDS.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Harold Omar Hill has a method to persuade new prisoners at David Wade Correctional Center in Louisiana, to take an HIV test. "If you're sick inside a prison, you'll do hard, hard time," the...

APOBEC3G incorporated into HIV-1 virions through viral/nonviral RNA interactions.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- APOBEC3G is incorporated into HIV-1 virions through viral and nonviral RNA interactions. "Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme-catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G) is a host cytidine deaminase...

Antisense U7 snRNAs and siRNAs targeting cyclophilin A inhibit HIV-1 replication.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antisense U7 snRNAs and siRNAs targeting cyclophilin A inhibit HIV-1 replication. According to published research from Switzerland, "Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) multiplication depends on...

Dying cells drive the capacity of HIV-1 to kill noncycling primary CD4+ cells.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Dying, neighboring cells drive the capacity of HIV-1 to kill noncycling primary CD4+ cells. According to recent research published in the journal Cell Death and Differentiation, "CD4+ T-cell death...

HIV-1 infectivity enhanced by forming particle-mediated syncytia in CD4+ cells.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- HIV-1 infectivity is enhanced by forming particle-mediated syncytia in CD4+ cells. According to published research from Japan, "The infection and subsequent replication rates of human...

Host cell gene expression varies during HIV-1 latency or reactivation.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The host cell gene expression varies during HIV-1 latency or reactivation. "The existence of reservoirs of cells latently infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a major obstacle to the...

Memantine protects hippocampal neuronal function in HIV-1 encephalitis.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Memantine protects hippocampal neuronal function in HIV-1 encephalitis. "Memantine, a low-to-moderate-affinity NMDA receptor antagonist, can be used to treat cognitive impairment associated with...

R5 HIV-1 replicates more efficiently in primary CD4+ cells than X4 HIV-1.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- R5 HIV-1 replicates more efficiently in primary CD4+ cells than X4 HIV-1. According to recent research from the United States, "In this report, we present evidence that R5 human immunodeficiency...

Structure of initiation complex of HIV-1 reverse transcription is not conserved.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The structure of the initiation complex of HIV-1 reverse transcription is not conserved. According to a study from France, "HIV-1 reverse transcription is initiated from a tRNA(3)(Lys) molecule...

TSG101 mutations that inhibit PTAP or VPS28 binding block HIV-1 budding.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- TSG101 mutations that inhibit PTAP or VPS28 binding block HIV-1 budding. "Efficient human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) budding requires an interaction between the PTAP late domain in the...

Tumorigenesis by HHV-8 chemokine receptor vGPCR is accelerated by HIV-1 Tat.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Tumorigenesis by the HHV-8 chemokine receptor vGPCR is accelerated by HIV-1 Tat. According to a study from the United States, "Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), also called Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)...

CD4+ cell non-production during HAART due to inefficiencies at multiple steps.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- CD4+ cell non-production during highly active antiretroviral therapy is due to inefficiencies at multiple steps. "A stable latent reservoir for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in...

Jury is still out regarding benefits of switching to protease-sparing regimen.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The jury is still out regarding the benefits of switching to a protease-sparing regimen. According to a recently published review in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, "Body fat changes and...

Nevirapine is better than efavirenz at raising "good" cholesterol.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two of the most commonly prescribed drugs for treating HIV - nevirapine and efavirenz - can both raise levels of the "good type" of cholesterol (HDL cholesterol), but nevirapine raises it higher than...

Former Maryland Governor wants public registry for people with AIDS.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Maryland should establish a public registry for people with AIDS to help stop its spread because "other methods of prevention aren't working," Comptroller William Donald Schaefer said. "People...

HIV-positive Russians detained during protest in western city.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- About a dozen HIV-positive Russians were detained in the western city of Kaliningrad after chaining themselves to the city hall building to protest the state's alleged failure to provide them with...

CCR5-targeted SIV vaccination strategy prevents or inhibits SIV.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- CCR5-targeted SIV vaccination strategy prevented or inhibited SIV infection. "Cell-surface CCR5 is a major coreceptor with CD4 glycoprotein, mediating cellular entry of CCR5 strains of HIV-1 or SIV...

HIV-1 gp120-induced nitric oxide increases proinflammatory cytokines.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- HIV-1 gp120-induced nitric oxide increases proinflammatory cytokines. "It has become clear that spinal cord glia (microglia and astrocytes) importantly contribute to the creation of exaggerated pain...

Health workers confirm Wisconsin's first flu case of the season.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The flu bug has arrived in Wisconsin, where health experts said they have confirmed the first case of the season. Laboratory tests found a Waupaca County woman had the state's first influenza case,...

A new magnetic extraction method uncovers HCV status in hemodialysis patients.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new magnetic extraction method uncovers HCV status in hemodialysis patients. According to recent research from Japan, "hemodialysis patients are a high-risk group for hepatitis C virus (HCV)...

Drug development company announces hepatitis C study presented at conference.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Debiopharm S.A. announced that, Jan Paeshuyse and Johan Neyts, associate professor, from the Belgian Rega Institute presented data on the potent and selective inhibition effect of DEBIO-025 on the...

Study reports results of PegIntron and Rebetol combination therapy for hepatitis.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Patients infected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 can be treated effectively and safely with individualized, weight-based PegIntron (peginterferon alfa-2b) and Rebetol (ribavirin)...

Abstract describing remofovir study results posted to AASLD web site.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc., (MBRX) announced that an abstract describing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic results of a recently completed clinical trial of remofovir in patients with hepatitis B,...

Persistence of hepatitis C virus associated with human leukocyte antigen class 1.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Persistence of hepatitis C virus is associated with human leukocyte antigen class 1. According to recent research published in the journal Human Immunology, "The aim of this study was to define...

FDA grants priority review to Pegasys with Copegus for HCV in HIV patients.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 6-month priority review status to the supplemental new biologics license application (sBLA) for Roche's combination therapy of Pegasys...

Novel peptide-based vaccines generate immunity to hepatotropic pathogens.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Novel peptide-based vaccines generate immunity to hepatotropic pathogens. "Vaccines for the prophylactic and/or therapeutic immunization against hepatotropic pathogens (e.g., hepatitis B and...

Patients with liver disease have lower levels of circulating dendritic cells.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Patients with liver disease have lower levels of circulating dendritic cells. "Chronic liver disease has been shown to be associated with diminished humoral and cellular immune function. Although...

Viral subunit protein plus CpG ODN protects against HSV-2.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Intravaginal immunization with viral subunit protein plus CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) induces protective immunity against herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2). According to a study from Canada,...

HPV type 18 L1 VLP vaccine safe and immunogenic in women.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Results from a phase I study indicated a human papillomavirus (HPV) type 18 L1 VLP vaccine was safe and immunogenic in women. "Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can cause genital warts and...

Dendritic cells in chronic hepatitis C patients alter immunological response.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Dendritic cells in chronic hepatitis C patients alter immunological response. According to published research from Japan, "patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are unable to prime and maintain...

Disinfection, and sterilization adherence reduce hospital-related infections.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Disinfection and sterilization adherence reduce contaminated hospital instrument-related infections. According to an article in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, "All invasive procedures...

Bacterium causes U.S. flu vaccine shortage.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The reddish bacterium to blame for this year's shortage of flu vaccine has a colorful history. Until the 1960s, Serratia marcescens was considered harmless - so safe, in fact, that the military...

Disease management company to offer viral antidote to U.S. during flu season.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- GenoMed, Inc., (GMED) announced that it will offer its patent-pending broad spectrum viral antidote to the U.S. during the coming flu season this fall and winter. Because of difficulties that a...

Drug-DNA combination could offer longer-lasting, more efficient flu vaccine.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Research from Sweden suggests that adding the drug tucaresol to plasmid DNA influenza vaccines could offer longer-lasting and more efficient protection against the influenza virus. Annual flu...

Experts: Good hygiene can ward off flu.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The wisdom mothers have been dispensing for ages - wash your hands, eat your vegetables, go to bed earlier - turns out to be great advice for avoiding the flu. Doctors and nutritionists say careful...

Study to test flu shot and nasal spray flu vaccine side by side.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A University of Michigan (U-M) influenza expert is beginning a 3-year direct comparison of the effectiveness of flu shots vs. nasal spray flu vaccine. Flu shots have been around since World War II,...

Survey of hospitals quantifies flu vaccine price gouging.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has conducted a survey of more than 2800 hospital pharmacy directors in the U.S. about how the flu vaccine shortage is affecting their ability to care...

U.S. CDC urges high-risk groups to get vaccinated, healthy people to wait.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The loss of vaccine from Chiron Corp. has created a challenging situation for the United States vaccine supply going into this year's influenza season. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and...

Cost of flu vaccine rising as supply dwindles.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Some drug distributors are taking advantage of the country's dwindling flu vaccine supply by raising prices for the medicine to up to 10 times its normal cost. Several distribution companies, which...

Effect of influenza vaccination on primary care contact rates studied.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Investigators have studied the effect of the vaccination of high-risk patients against influenza on primary care contact rates during epidemics. "A general practice (GP)-based retrospective cohort...

Remaining flu shots directed to high-risk patients.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The federal government moved to direct scarce remaining flu shots straight to pediatricians, nursing homes and other places that care for the patients who need them most. But only a fraction of the...

Study of influenza virus A M2 peptide conjugate vaccines conducted.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists have conducted a preclinical study of influenza virus A M2 peptide conjugate vaccines in mice, ferrets, and rhesus monkeys. "A universal influenza virus vaccine that does not require...

Antigenically and genetically similar influenza C viruses in Japan characterized.
November 2, 2004... 2004 NOV 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antigenically and genetically similar influenza C viruses isolated in Japan have been characterized. According to recent research from Japan, "Between October 1999 and May 2000, a total of 28...