http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Hib-Vaccine-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Wed, 22 May 2013 23:28:10 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-attempt-to-predict-infectious-influenza-119316-1.htm According to a report to be published in the iInternational Journal Data Mining and Bioinformatics/i, a new computer model could help scientists predict when a particular strain of avian influenza might become infectious from bird to human. Chuang Ma of the University of Arizona, Tucson, and colleagues at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, explain that since 1997 several strains of avian influenza A virus (AIV), commonly known as ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-attempt-to-predict-infectious-influenza-119316-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/influenza-vaccines-promotion-gears-up-119096-1.htm One of the most aggressive public health policies today is the promotion of influenza vaccines. Today around 135 million doses of influenza vaccine annually enter the US market, with vaccinations administered in drug stores, supermarkets - even some drive-throughs. This enormous growth has not been fuelled by popular demand but instead by a public health campaign that delivers a straightforward message: influenza is a serious disease, we are all at risk of complications from influenza, the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/influenza-vaccines-promotion-gears-up-119096-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/viral-meningitis-causes-strange-behavior-in-a-36-year-old-woman-119068-1.htm Thirty six year old Samantha Vaughan began to behave strangely after contracting viral meningitis. She seemed to take on multiple personalities within a few hours of falling ill. In the hospital, she began to act like a head teacher, ordering the nursing staff. She got suddenly abusive and cantankerous. Later, she left her hospital bed and began wandering in the hospital in a zombie state. "It was as though Samantha was possessed, it was horrible and very scary," said her grandmother Vicky Vaughan, 68, from Birmingham....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/viral-meningitis-causes-strange-behavior-in-a-36-year-old-woman-119068-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/evidence-of-host-adaptation-of-avian-origin-influenza-a-virus-study-119058-1.htm In February 2013 a novel avian-origin reassortant influenza A (H7N9) virus emerged in China and is associated with severe lower respiratory tract diseases. To date, more than 100 human cases of infection, including at least 20 deaths, have been reported in China. Three early cases of infection were described in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. The general clinical features of the three patients were similar to the previously reported cases in China. Two of the three patients had a history of direct contact with live poultry markets....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/evidence-of-host-adaptation-of-avian-origin-influenza-a-virus-study-119058-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-discover-potential-novel-treatment-for-influenza-118337-1.htm A new experimental drug has shown promise in treating influenza, preventing death from the virus, show preclinical studies. University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers found that a drug called Eritoran could protect mice from death after they have been infected with a lethal dose of influenza virus. The potential value of this drug as single therapy or in combination with antivirals is further supported by previous research that found that it is safe for use in humans. ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-discover-potential-novel-treatment-for-influenza-118337-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-childhood-meningitis-associated-with-lower-levels-of-educational-achievement-financial-self-sufficiency-in-adulthood-117996-1.htm According to a study that included nearly 3,000 adults from Denmark, a diagnosis of meningococcal, pneumococcal, or Haemophilus influenzae meningitis in childhood was associated with lower educational achievement and economic self-sufficiency in adult life. The study can be found in the April 24 issue of iJAMA/i. Bacterial meningitis may lead to brain damage due to several factors, and survivors of childhood bacterial meningitis are at particular risk of hearing loss, seizure disorders, motor deficits, and cognitive impairment....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-childhood-meningitis-associated-with-lower-levels-of-educational-achievement-financial-self-sufficiency-in-adulthood-117996-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-links-childhood-meningitis-to-lower-levels-of-educational-achievement-117856-1.htm A diagnosis of meningococcal, pneumococcal, or iHaemophilus influenzae/i meningitis in childhood was associated with lower educational achievement and economic self-sufficiency in adult life, in a study that included nearly 3,000 adults from Denmark. The study is published in the April 24 issue of iJAMA/i. Bacterial meningitis may lead to brain damage due to several factors, and survivors of childhood bacterial meningitis are at particular risk of hearing loss, seizure disorders, motor deficits, and cognitive impairment....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-links-childhood-meningitis-to-lower-levels-of-educational-achievement-117856-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/research-suggests-transmission-of-respiratory-viruses-in-unborn-babies-117791-1.htm Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children can be transferred during pregnancy to an unborn baby. This is according to Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital research published online this week in the journal iPLOS ONE/i. In animal models, the study shows that RSV is able to spread across the placenta from the respiratory tract of the mother to the fetus and is present in the lungs after birth, throughout development and into adulthood....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/research-suggests-transmission-of-respiratory-viruses-in-unborn-babies-117791-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/molecular-assays-that-can-speed-up-diagnosis-of-influenza-developed-117713-1.htm A new study published in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics reveals that a team of Dutch scientists has created a set of molecular assays that could be an effective alternative for conventional diagnostic methods for diagnosing influenza and can produce results in just one day without any need for additional equipment. Currently the main circulating influenza viruses that cause disease in humans are the influenza A H3N2 and H1N1 subtypes together with influenza B virus. Re-emergence of a variant ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/molecular-assays-that-can-speed-up-diagnosis-of-influenza-developed-117713-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-shed-light-on-use-of-opioids-on-sickle-cell-disease-patients-117327-1.htm At Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), researchers sought to shed light on the biopsychosocial and spiritual effects of taking prescribed opioids to treat noncancer pain. Such questions have received little examination and impact the challenging decision of when and how to use opioids, the study authors wrote in a scientific poster presented today at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. They found that taking opioids had many and diverse consequences for patients ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-shed-light-on-use-of-opioids-on-sickle-cell-disease-patients-117327-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/source-of-h7n9-avian-influenza-identified-117234-1.htm ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/source-of-h7n9-avian-influenza-identified-117234-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/experts-believe-that-migratory-birds-might-have-carried-avian-influenza-into-china-117064-1.htm An expert with the country's agricultural ministry has said that migratory birds may have carried the H7N9 avian influenza virus into China. According to health authorities, a total of 20 H7N9 cases have been reported in the country till Sunday evening, including the six cases that ended in fatalities. As the source of infection and its transmission remained unclear, the possibility of migratory birds carrying the H7N9 avian influenza virus into the country could not be ruled out, Xinhua ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/experts-believe-that-migratory-birds-might-have-carried-avian-influenza-into-china-117064-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/ten-year-old-boy-succumbs-to-meningitis-after-pleading-for-help-116910-1.htm William Cressey, a ten-year-old boy, succumbed to meningitis hours after the doctors misdiagnosed his condition as migraine. The boy was discharged after prescribing Calpol for relieving the pain. The boy's mother reported he had pleaded with the doctors saying, "Please help me. Why won't you help me? If you don't help me, I am going to die. Please help me, I don't want to die." Mrs Cressey had suspected that her son was suffering from meningitis but the doctors refused to accept stating that the boy did not develop any rashes....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/ten-year-old-boy-succumbs-to-meningitis-after-pleading-for-help-116910-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/important-properties-of-influenza-vaccines-now-revealed-116518-1.htm An important mechanism for stimulating the protective immune response following seasonal flu vaccinations, is now clearly identified by scientists. While seasonal influenza vaccines protect 60 to 90 percent of healthy adults from "the flu," the mechanisms providing that protection are still not well understood. The study led by Octavio Ramilo, MD, chief of Infectious Diseases and an investigator in the Center for Vaccines and Immunity at Nationwide Children's Hospital and professor of Pediatrics ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/important-properties-of-influenza-vaccines-now-revealed-116518-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-experimental-vaccine-against-avian-influenza-116470-1.htm A newly developed experimental vaccine was found to block the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus, say researchers. It is also effective against the H9 subtype of avian influenza. The strength of the new vaccine is that it uses attenuated, rather than "killed" virus. (Killed viruses are broken apart with chemicals or heat, and they are used because they are safer than attenuated viruses.) Killed virus vaccines against avian influenza are injected into the bloodstream, whereas this ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-experimental-vaccine-against-avian-influenza-116470-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/worlds-first-real-time-electronic-tool-to-enhance-diagnosis-of-pneumonia-developed-116002-1.htm Intermountain Medical Center researchers have developed the first real-time electronic screening tool to identify patients with pneumonia. Pneumonia is the most common infectious cause of death in developed countries. It kills more than 60,000 Americans each year, and results in nearly 1.1 million hospitalizations. The new tool works seamlessly with the hospital's computerized medical screening and diagnosis technology that physicians are already using at Intermountain Healthcare....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/worlds-first-real-time-electronic-tool-to-enhance-diagnosis-of-pneumonia-developed-116002-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/role-of-climate-in-influenza-transmission-revealed-115580-1.htm According to an epidemiological study led by researchers, two types of environmental conditions cold-dry and humid-rainy are associated with seasonal influenza epidemics. The study took place at the National Institutes of Health's Fogarty International Center. The paper, published in iPLOS Pathogens/i, presents a simple climate-based model that maps influenza activity globally and accounts for the diverse range of seasonal patterns observed across temperate, subtropical and tropical regions....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/role-of-climate-in-influenza-transmission-revealed-115580-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/steroids-may-shorten-hospital-stay-for-pneumonia-patients-mayo-clinic-115184-1.htm New research indicates that patients with pneumonia may spend fewer days in the hospital if they are given steroids along with antibiotics and supportive care. That's the finding of a Mayo Clinic analysis of eight randomized-controlled clinical trials involving more than 1,100 patients. The results appear in the March issue of the iJournal of Hospital Medicine/i. "Given that the average hospital stay for community-acquired pneumonia can range from nine to 23 days, the prospect of speeding ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/steroids-may-shorten-hospital-stay-for-pneumonia-patients-mayo-clinic-115184-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/an-old-antidepressant-drug-holds-promise-to-treat-sickle-cell-disease-114610-1.htm A surprising new finding made in mice and human red blood cells by a team from the University of Michigan Medical School reveals that an antidepressant drug used since the 1960s may also hold promise for treating sickle cell disease. The discovery that tranylcypromine, or TCP, can essentially reverse the effects of sickle cell disease was made by U-M scientists who have spent more than three decades studying the basic biology of the condition, with funding from the National Institutes of Health....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/an-old-antidepressant-drug-holds-promise-to-treat-sickle-cell-disease-114610-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/cdc-recommendations-during-meningitis-outbreak-debated-by-scientists-114062-1.htm A debate within the public health community surrounding Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for treatment of exposed individuals during last year's fungal meningitis outbreak was highlighted by a pair of commentaries to appear in an upcoming issue of the journal iAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy/i. Manuscripts of the commentaries were published ahead of print today on the journal's webpage. "I will try to offer sufficient documentation to show there are ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/cdc-recommendations-during-meningitis-outbreak-debated-by-scientists-114062-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-vaccine-for-meningitis-approved-for-use-in-uk-113369-1.htm The European Commission (EC) has approved a vaccine against a deadly form of meningitis for use in the UK. The EC gave manufacturers Novartis the green light to sell Bexsero, the first vaccine for meningitis B, after looking into its safety and effectiveness, the Mirror reported. Meningitis B kills one in 10 and another one in four will suffer permanent disability, such as brain damage or limb loss. Charity Meningitis UK has now called for the vaccine to be quickly introduced on the NHS....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-vaccine-for-meningitis-approved-for-use-in-uk-113369-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/chad-rules-out-any-link-between-sick-kids-and-meningitis-vaccine-113260-1.htm Chad's government claimed on Tuesday that a team of international experts have not been able to find any link between the hospitalization of 38 children and their recent vaccinations against meningitis. The children fell ill in the northern village of Gouro and were admitted to hospital after being vaccinated in a government campaign against the disease between December 11 and 15. In a statement, the country's health ministry said tests "failed to establish a causal link between the clinical ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/chad-rules-out-any-link-between-sick-kids-and-meningitis-vaccine-113260-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/in-people-with-hiv-stopping-smoking-reduces-risk-of-bacterial-pneumonia-113241-1.htm In people infected with HIV, bacterial pneumonia is one of the commonest and most serious infections occurring. A metanalysis of cohort and case control studies published in BioMed Central's open access journal iBMC Medicine/i finds that current smokers with HIV were at double the risk of bacterial pneumonia than non-smoking counterparts, but that when people stopped smoking their risk was reduced. The metanalysis reanalysed the data of several thousand participants with HIV, from 14 studies based in USA, Europe and South Africa....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/in-people-with-hiv-stopping-smoking-reduces-risk-of-bacterial-pneumonia-113241-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/genome-of-pathogen-responsible-for-pneumocystis-pneumonia-sequenced-112010-1.htm The genome of the fungus iPneumocystis jirovecii/i have been sequenced by scientists. This sequencing could help identify new targets for drugs to treat and prevent Pneumocystis pneumonia, a common and often deadly infection in immunocompromised patients. The study will be published on December 26, 2012 in imBio/i (Regd) , the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. The organism cannot yet be isolated and grown for study in the laboratory, so details about Pneumocystis pneumonia, the biology of iP....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/genome-of-pathogen-responsible-for-pneumocystis-pneumonia-sequenced-112010-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/ceramic-indoor-cookstove-use-did-not-significantly-lower-child-pneumonia-risk-in-rural-kenya-report-111492-1.htm According to results, inexpensive locally-produced ceramic cookstoves may produce less smoke than traditional indoor 3-stone firepits, but they don't significantly reduce indoor air pollution or the risk of pneumonia in young children. The results are from a small, year-long observational study by researchers working in rural Kenya. The findings, published online today in the iAmerican Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene/i, are the first to examine the health impacts of ceramic cookstoves ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/ceramic-indoor-cookstove-use-did-not-significantly-lower-child-pneumonia-risk-in-rural-kenya-report-111492-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/critical-insights-to-improve-care-of-patients-with-sickle-cell-disease-111406-1.htm Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited, chronic blood disorder affecting between 90,000 and 100,000 Americans. Research unveiling key gaps in continuity of care for sickle cell patients transitioning from pediatric to adult care will be presented this week during the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). Instead of producing healthy red blood cells, individuals with the disease produce abnormal, sickle-shaped cells that cannot easily move through blood vessels ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/critical-insights-to-improve-care-of-patients-with-sickle-cell-disease-111406-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-highlight-potential-gene-therapy-approach-to-sickle-cell-disease-111378-1.htm The first preliminary steps toward developing a form of gene therapy for sickle cell disease has been initiated by researchers at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center (DF/CHCC). In an abstract presented on Dec. 10 at the 54th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, the research team-led by DF/CHCC's Raffaele Renella, MD, PhD, Stuart H. Orkin, MD, and David A. Williams, MD-announced that they had demonstrated in an animal model the feasibility of activating a form of hemoglobin unaffected by the sickle cell mutation....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-highlight-potential-gene-therapy-approach-to-sickle-cell-disease-111378-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-during-pregnancy-increases-risk-of-meningitis-in-offspring-111318-1.htm British researchers reveal that the risk of meningitis in children is high if the mother had smoked during pregnancy or due to second hand smoke from their parents. Researchers from the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies at the University of Nottingham analyzed more than 18 studies and found that the risk of meningitis was three times higher in children whose mothers had smoked during their pregnancies while it was two times greater in children who are exposed to second hand smoke in their homes, with the risk increasing to 2....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-during-pregnancy-increases-risk-of-meningitis-in-offspring-111318-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/three-more-pharmacies-sanctioned-during-probe-into-massachusetts-meningitis-outbreak-111108-1.htm Massachusetts health officials revealed that three more pharmacies have been sanctioned as they continue their investigations into the meningitis outbreak that led to the deaths of 36 people while 500 more were sickened. The Department of Public Health revealed that it had sent notices to OncoMed Pharmaceutical Services of Waltham; Pallimed Solutions of Woburn; and The Whittier Pharmacist of Haverhill but added that they were not linked with New England Compounding Center that was responsible for ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/three-more-pharmacies-sanctioned-during-probe-into-massachusetts-meningitis-outbreak-111108-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/common-sedatives-sleeping-pills-raises-risk-of-fatal-pneumonia-111094-1.htm People using sleeping pills and sedatives are at increased risk of contracting pneumonia and are more likely to die from it, according to a study. Benzodiazepines have a wide range of uses and are commonly prescribed for anxiety, epilepsy, muscle spasm, and insomnia. They are also frequently used in palliative care, as a sedative, and to help those with an alcohol problem to "dry out." Around 2% of the population in the UK and the US have taken benzodiazepines for 12 months or more, and ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/common-sedatives-sleeping-pills-raises-risk-of-fatal-pneumonia-111094-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/novartis-meningitis-vaccine-gets-eu-approval-110094-1.htm Novartis has won approval by the EU's medicine agency for its Bexsero vaccine against meningitis B infections, say sources. "Bexsero will be the first licensed broad coverage vaccine that can help protect all age groups against MenB (Meningococcal serogroup B) disease, including infants, the age group at the greatest risk of infection," Novartis said in a statement. Current vaccines offer protection for several types of the disease that causes an inflammation of the membranes covering ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/novartis-meningitis-vaccine-gets-eu-approval-110094-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/pneumonia-remains-the-number-one-killer-of-children-under-age-five-110060-1.htm Childhood pneumonia remains the leading killer of children under the age five which has claimed 1.3 million lives on 2011 alone. In a bid to prevent the growing mortality rates world leaders and Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia have urged for major efforts to fight against the disease. "Pneumonia can be prevented and cured. Yet, for too long it has been the leading cause of global deaths among children. We know what to do, and we have made great progress - but we must do more. We ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/pneumonia-remains-the-number-one-killer-of-children-under-age-five-110060-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/first-to-gain-approval-to-travel-outside-cold-chain-is-meningitis-vaccine-that-breaks-barrier-110043-1.htm Researchers announced that regulatory authorities-after conducting a rigorous review of stability data-will for the first time allow a vaccine in Africa to be transported and stored for as long as four days without refrigeration or even an icepack. This could be signalling a potential breakthrough for immunization programs in resource-poor countries. The announcement was made at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) conference. The meningitis A vaccine known as MenAfriVac (Regd) , ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/first-to-gain-approval-to-travel-outside-cold-chain-is-meningitis-vaccine-that-breaks-barrier-110043-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/congress-slams-us-health-officials-on-tainted-drugs-that-caused-deadly-fungal-meningitis-outbreak-109997-1.htm US lawmakers came down heavily on federal and state health officials Wednesday for failing to properly police a pharma company whose tainted drugs caused a deadly fungal meningitis outbreak. "This tragedy could have been avoided," said Congressman Cliff Stearns, who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee's oversight and investigations panel. The Florida Republican cited a litany of complaints against the New England Compounding Center and problems found during inspections over the past decade that were insufficiently investigated....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/congress-slams-us-health-officials-on-tainted-drugs-that-caused-deadly-fungal-meningitis-outbreak-109997-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/tied-to-meningitis-outbreak-are-problems-at-second-us-firm-109926-1.htm Serious problems were uncovered by US federal health inspectors at a second Massachusetts pharmacy run by some of the same people whose tainted drugs caused a deadly meningitis outbreak. While no Ameridose products have been associated with the nationwide outbreak of the disease or other types of infection, inspectors found similar problems as those unearthed at the New England Compounding Center (NECC). Insects and at least one flying bird were found in the rooms where sterile drugs were ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/tied-to-meningitis-outbreak-are-problems-at-second-us-firm-109926-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/official-us-meningitis-death-toll-rises-to-30-109595-1.htm US health officials said that the death toll from a meningitis outbreak linked to tainted drugs rose to 30 as the number of cases climbed to a whopping 419. Some 14,000 people in 23 states are at risk after having received potentially tainted doses of the steroid from the New England Compounding Center. The steroid is typically injected into the spine to treat back pain but can also be used to treat joints and 10 of the cases reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were joint infections....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/official-us-meningitis-death-toll-rises-to-30-109595-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/obese-pneumonia-patients-more-likely-to-survive-hospitalization-than-normal-weight-patients-109570-1.htm Being obese may come with hidden benefits after a new study by University of Alberta researchers found that those who are obese were more likely to survive hospital admissions with pneumonia compared to those with normal weight. For their research study, the team examined the records of 907 patients with pneumonia who were admitted to six Edmonton hospitals and also had their body mass index recorded. Two-thirds of the patients had severe pneumonia and 79 died in hospital. Of those who died, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/obese-pneumonia-patients-more-likely-to-survive-hospitalization-than-normal-weight-patients-109570-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/us-meningitis-death-toll-from-tainted-steroid-injections-rises-to-28-109265-1.htm Twenty-eight people have died from fungal meningitis after using suspected tainted steroid injections blamed for a growing national outbreak, a US health official said Tuesday. Three more deaths were blamed on the disease compared to the previous update issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday. They include two patients in Michigan and a third in Tennessee. Nationwide, the CDC said the number of reported fungal meningitis cases rose to 356. Another seven were ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/us-meningitis-death-toll-from-tainted-steroid-injections-rises-to-28-109265-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/sanitary-lapses-at-pharmacy-behind-deadly-meningitis-outbreak-in-us-109002-1.htm Significant in-house hygiene issues were reported by US health officials Wednesday while inspecting the Massachusetts compounding pharmacy that sold a steroid preparation linked to a deadly meningitis outbreak. Investigators found that processes for sterilizing medication at the New England Compounding Center were "not done in conformance with accepted standards," said Madeleine Biondolillo, who leads the northeastern US state's public health department. She said that records showed that ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/sanitary-lapses-at-pharmacy-behind-deadly-meningitis-outbreak-in-us-109002-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/fungal-meningitis-outbreak-what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-it-108950-1.htm A physician recalls lessons learned from treating patients affected by the 2002 outbreak of iExophiala/i (iWangiella/i) dermatitidis meningitis or arthritis related to contaminated, injectable coticosteroids prepared from a compounding pharmacy in a new perspective piece being published Online First tonight in iAnnals of Internal Medicine/i. According to the author, the lessons he learned in 2002 are applicable to the current outbreak. He warns that compounding of preservative-free ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/fungal-meningitis-outbreak-what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-it-108950-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-novel-insights-into-the-physical-basis-of-sickle-cell-disease-could-lead-to-better-treatments-108750-1.htm Sickle cell disease causes red blood cells to distort into a crescent shape and block small blood vessels. It is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. A study published by Cell Press in the October 17th issue of iBiophysical Journal/i reveals new insights into how these abnormal cells disrupt circulation could lead to more effective treatment strategies. "Sickle cell disease entails a central mechanical component, since the circulation gets blocked," explains ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-novel-insights-into-the-physical-basis-of-sickle-cell-disease-could-lead-to-better-treatments-108750-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/us-pharmacy-that-caused-meningitis-outbreak-with-tainted-drugs-searched-108676-1.htm The US pharmacy that made the tainted drugs leading to a widening meningitis outbreak was searched by criminal investigators, as the death toll from the outbreak rose to 16 people. The search comes a day after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified two new drugs produced by the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Massachusetts that may have infected patients with the rare form of fungal meningitis. "This is part of our ongoing investigation... to fully investigate the scope ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/us-pharmacy-that-caused-meningitis-outbreak-with-tainted-drugs-searched-108676-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-drugs-tied-to-meningitis-outbreak-108563-1.htm A widening outbreak of meningitis is associated with tainted products from a Massachusetts pharmacy, say sources. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urged doctors to contact patients who received drugs produced by the firm to warn them they are at risk of developing the slow-moving but potentially deadly infection. "At this point in FDA's investigation, the sterility of any injectable drugs.. and cardioplegic solutions" produced by the firm are "of significant concern," the FDA said in a statement....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-drugs-tied-to-meningitis-outbreak-108563-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/meningitis-outbreak-in-us-leads-to-15-deaths-108538-1.htm The recent outbreak of fungal meningitis in the United States continues to worsen after health officials revealed that more than 205 people are infected and there have been 15 deaths so far. Fourteen states have been affected by the outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. On Saturday, it had reported 198 cases nationwide. The situation is particularly bad in Tennessee, where 53 cases including six deaths have been reported. Michigan follows, with 41 cases and Virginia with 34 cases....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/meningitis-outbreak-in-us-leads-to-15-deaths-108538-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/us-warns-of-surge-in-meningitis-cases-108403-1.htm Health authorities in US have warned that the number of meningitis infections, which has already claimed 14 lives, could rise further. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had contacted 12,000 of the nearly 14,000 patients who may have been exposed to the contaminated steroid injection believed to have caused the fungal meningitis outbreak. "CDC and public health officials are referring any patients who have symptoms (of) possible meningitis or possible joint infection to their physician," the CDC's Dr....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/us-warns-of-surge-in-meningitis-cases-108403-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/12-died-in-us-meningitis-outbreak-108361-1.htm An American meningitis outbreak linked to tainted medication has killed 12, according to US officials, who have documented more than 120 infections in 10 states. Officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said as many as 13,000 people might have received doses of the contaminated steroid injection that has caused an outbreak of the rare fungal infection. Among the hardest hit states are Tennessee with 39 cases, Michigan with 25, and Virginia with 24. Florida, Maryland ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/12-died-in-us-meningitis-outbreak-108361-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/meningitis-outbreak-in-us-leads-to-death-108210-1.htm In the United States in a worsening meningitis outbreak tied to a contaminated drug, at least seven people have died and 91 have fallen ill. Cases have been identified in nine states, with the hardest-hit being Tennessee, where 32 people have been diagnosed with the fungal infection and three have died, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Michigan is the second-most infected state, with 20 cases and two deaths, so far. Cases have also been noted in a vast region spanning Florida, Maryland and Minnesota....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/meningitis-outbreak-in-us-leads-to-death-108210-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/drug-recalled-over-suspected-meningitis-outbreak-in-us-108101-1.htm The FDA has ordered recall of contaminated injectable medications suspected to a deadly outbreak of meningitis which claimed five lives and sickened 34 others in six US states. Public health officials were contacting patients in 23 states who received the potentially contaminated steroid injection -- typically for back pain -- and urging them to be tested for the rare fungal infection. The hardest-hit state was Tennessee, where health officials said Friday the number of cases had risen to 29, including five deaths....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/drug-recalled-over-suspected-meningitis-outbreak-in-us-108101-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/africa-launches-huge-immunization-campaign-against-meningitis-108059-1.htm Seven African countries have launched a massive vaccination campaign on Thursday in a bid to protect 50 million people against meningitis. The so-called 'Meningitis Belt' countries -- Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan -- are to get the jabs to ensure "a dramatic impact across the continent," said Seth Berkley, managing director of GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization), the group backed by Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates. "We've known for a long time that ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/africa-launches-huge-immunization-campaign-against-meningitis-108059-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/association-between-common-heartburn-drugs-and-risk-of-pneumonia-questioned-107940-1.htm A true cause-and-effect relationship may not have been found by previous studies that have associated the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) with an increased incidence of pneumonia. PPIs include popular anti-heartburn medications like Prilosec and Nexium. A study that has been released online by the iJournal of General Internal Medicine/i outlines a strategy for determining when the results of such observational studies may have been distorted by unmeasured factors and then finds that ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/association-between-common-heartburn-drugs-and-risk-of-pneumonia-questioned-107940-1.htm