Rare flu infection could cause deadly pandemic
For years people have been writing about the potential for an apocalyptic flu outbreak. In fact, just this year we got a new apocalyptic flu movie: Contagion. One of the reasons… Read more »
Category: Healthcare
Ebola-like virus discovered in Europe
Researchers have discovered a new Ebola-like virus, Lloviu virus, in bats from northern Spain. Lloviu is the first known filovirus native to Europe. Filoviruses, which include Ebola and Marburg, are… Read more »
Emerging economies show improved healthcare at low cost
In the developed world, debate rages on over whether a quality public health system can exist at reasonable cost. A recent Reuters report argued the problem with the Spanish healthcare system… Read more »
European Commission wants clearer prescription information
The European Commission will amend the rules on the types and amount of information the pharmaceutical industry is allowed to supply to consumers. Interestingly, the amendments are actually aimed at… Read more »
Measles outbreaks in Europe, Africa, Americas
Significant measles outbreaks have been reported on three continents so far in 2011. The World Health Organization (WHO) now has a summary available on its website, broken down by geographic… Read more »
DNA “priming” may be key to universal flu vaccine
New research has shown that “priming” a person with flu DNA improves his response to a flu vaccine. Scientists from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)… Read more »
Climate change to drive European death rates higher
Climate change that has occurred since the 1970s caused an extra 140,000 deaths a year up till 2004, according to the World Health Organization. That rate is now due to… Read more »
Swine flu common in African livestock
Scientists from UCLA found swine flu (or H1N1) is becoming common place in many African villages. In one village in Cameroon, 89% of the animals were infected with the virus…. Read more »
Drug resistant flu more likely to result from mutation than overprescription
With the release of Contagion (the apocalyptic bird flu movie), attention is back on the flu’s ability to end life as we know it. In the movie, a strain of drug-resistant influenza… Read more »
New malaria vaccine set for trials this fall
A possible malaria vaccine, PfSPZ, is set to undergo trials this fall, according to the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease’s Vaccine Research Center. Malaria is one of… Read more »