First Multiplex Test for Tickborne Diseases
February 16th 2018A new blood test called the Tick-Borne Disease Serochip (TBD Serochip) promises to revolutionize the diagnosis of tickborne disease by offering a single test to identify and distinguish between Borrelia burgdorferi and seven other tickborne pathogens.
Expanding Hepatitis C Testing to All Adults is Cost-Effective and Improves Outcomes
February 16th 2018According to a new study, screening all adults for hepatitis C (HCV) is a cost-effective way to improve clinical outcomes of HCV and identify more infected people compared to current recommendations.
New Class of Drug to Treat Herpes Simplex Virus Infection
February 15th 2018Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have now identified a small drug molecule that can clear the HSV-1 infection in the cells of the cornea and works completely differently than the currently-available drugs, making it a promising potential option for patients who have developed resistance.
Fecal Transplantation, Molecular Testing Among New Recommendations in C. diff Guidelines
February 15th 2018New diagnostic methods and treatments – including fecal transplantation – will help improve the care of patients with Clostridium difficile (C. diff.), a deadly bacterial infection that can occur after antibiotic use, according to updated guidelines released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Queen’s University Announces Novel Drug Delivery System With Potential to Reduce HIV Rates
February 15th 2018Queen’s University Belfast is playing a central role in an international consortium that has announced the development of a patch delivery system which will lower the chances of infection for those at very high risk of HIV.
Copper-Coated Uniforms Could Help Reduce Infection Transmission
February 15th 2018Material scientists at the University of Manchester, working in collaboration with universities in China, have created a 'durable and washable, concrete-like' composite material made from antibacterial copper nanoparticles.
Investigators Provide Update on Influenza Activity from October Through Early February
February 15th 2018Budd, et al. (2018) report in MMWR that influenza activity in the United States began to increase in early November 2017 and rose sharply from December through Feb. 3, 2018; elevated influenza activity is expected to continue for several more weeks.
Infectious Diseases Experts Concerned with President’s Budget Request
February 14th 2018The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) says it is alarmed by the proposed funding for critical programs needed to prevent, treat, and contain infectious diseases included in the President’s Budget Request.
Patients With Chagas Disease are Often Infected With an Intestinal Parasite
February 14th 2018In this retrospective study, the authors evaluated the association between Trypanosoma cruzi infection and strongyloidiasis in a cohort of Latin American migrants screened for both infections in the Hospital Clinic at Barcelona between January 2013 and April 2015.
Measles Vaccine Increases Child Survival Beyond Protecting Against Measles
February 12th 2018In the largest study to date on children in a low/middle income country, new research in Ghana finds that the timing of a measles vaccine in an overall vaccination schedule can have a profound impact on child survival rates beyond protecting against measles infection.
WHO Issues List of Top Epidemic-Prone Diseases Without Sufficient Countermeasures
February 12th 2018For the purposes of the R&D Blueprint, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a special tool for determining which diseases and pathogens to prioritize for research and development in public health emergency contexts.