Anti-HIV Vaccine is Possible Report Scripps Florida Scientists

In a remarkable new advance against the virus that causes AIDS, scientists from the Jupiter, Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have announced the creation of a novel drug candidate that is so potent and universally effective, it might work as part of an unconventional vaccine. The research, which involved scientists from more than a dozen research institutions, was published February 18 online ahead of print by the prestigious...

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Don’t Get Your Hopes Up on Ebola Vaccines – Warn Scientists

A team of leading international scientists on Tuesday called for new Ebola vaccines to be made available in months rather than years and warned against complacency after a reduction in infection rates. “Despite falling infection rates in West Africa, the risk that the current Ebola outbreak may not be brought completely under control remains,” said Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, Britain’s biggest medical charity....

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Ebola Infections Going Up Again 144 New Cases in Two Weeks

The WHO reports an increase of Ebola infections the second week in a row. A total of 144 newly confirmed cases were reported in the week ending February 8th, according to figures from the World Health Organization, up 45% from the 99 confirmed cases reported in the week ended Jan. 25. New Ebola infections sharply increased in Guinea. The United States announced the withdrawal of nearly all troops fighting the Ebola outbreak in West Africa by end...

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13 Crucial Things You Need to Know About Ebola Virus

As a deadly Ebola epidemic spreads across western Africa, world leaders are scrambling to find solutions. Here’s what you need to know about the disease and the havoc it is wreaking: 1. Ebola is primarily ravaging the West African nations of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Senegal. Authorities in these nations have scrambled to contain the disease. In Sierra Leone, the government quarantined a third of the entire population — about...

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Hepatitis C More Common Than HIV or Ebola Yet Lacks Attention

More than 180 million people in the world have hepatitis C, compared with the 34 million with HIV/AIDS and the roughly 30,000 who have had Ebola. Yet very little is heard about the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the way of awareness campaigns, research funding or celebrity fundraisers. One of the global regions highly affected by hepatitis C is West Africa. In developed countries, hepatitis C, a blood-borne disease, is transmitted through intravenous...

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Measles Outbreak: What You Need to Know

Measles, a highly contagious respiratory infection that causes serious complications in about 3 of 10 people, has been grabbing headlines since last December’s outbreak at Disneyland. In January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 102 cases of measles in 14 states. One unconfirmed case was just reported in New Jersey. Measured against the approximately 600 cases reported in 2014, this year is on track to set a record for a...

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Could Cannabis Be a Cure for Ebola?

There have been many people suggesting that Cannabis can treat and even cure Ebola. While there is no scientific evidence to back up such claims… Cannabis can be used to treat a variety of illnesses such as: HIV and AIDS Alzheimer’s Arthritis Asthma Crohn’s Disease Epilepsy and Seizures Glaucoma Hepatitis C Migraines Multiple Sclerosis  Nausea from Chemotherapy Pain Some Psychological Conditions Tourette Syndrome Those that...

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Contagion: How One Person Can Set Off a Measles Outbreak

Americans may be victims of their own success when it comes to the eradication of infectious diseases and take their disease-free lives for granted, says Jorge Parada, MD, hospital epidemiologist and medical director of the Infection Prevention and Control program at Loyola University Health System. “There are plenty of countries in the world where measles and chicken pox are very commonplace; I have served in Angola where mothers begged...

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How Winter Gives Flu a Boost Could Be Key to Prevent Flu

Linsey Marr, a professor in the Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech, is obsessed with flu transmission. This time of year, she’s not alone. Hand sanitizers and cough drops abound, and banners outside drugstores and doctors’ offices proclaim, “Get your flu shot.” But this year, that vaccine will only reduce your risk of ending up in the doctor’s office with the flu by about 23 percent. The vaccine...

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Got Bees? Got Vitamin A? Got Malaria? Risk of Malnutrition

A new study shows that more than half the people in some developing countries could become newly at risk for malnutrition if crop-pollinating animals — like bees — continue to decline. Despite popular reports that pollinators are crucial for human nutritional health, no scientific studies have actually tested this claim — until now. The new research by scientists at the University of Vermont and Harvard University has, for the first time, connected...

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