Flu Vaccine Benefits Moms and Babies Nov 1, 2009
For pregnant women, an influenza leads to bigger babies and infants who are less likely to get the flu, according to three studies presented here. For pregnant women, an influenza vaccination leads to bigger babies and infants who are less likely to get the flu, according to three studies presented at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America ... Experts said the findings -- presented at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America -- might help... (ABC News)
Deadliest week so far for kids and swine flu Oct 31, 2009
The government determined the high-risk groups include children and young people through age 24, people caring for infants under 6 months, pregnant women and health care workers. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. (MSNBC -- Health)
Tamiflu-Resistant Swine Flu Passed Person-to-Person in U.S. Oct 31, 2009
With this in mind, Dailey believes that the H1N1 vaccine, instead of antivirals, should be used for prevention as it becomes available, although treatment with antivirals should begin immediately in people who are hospitalized or who are at high risk, such as pregnant women, children under the age of 2 and people with underlying health conditions. A second team of researchers looked at 26 elementary-school students in Pennsylvania and their household contacts who had tested positive for H1N1 to... (MEDLINEplus)
When Moms Get Flu Shot, Babies Benefit Too Oct 31, 2009
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When pregnant women get vaccinated against flu, their babies are bigger, healthier and less likely to be premature, researchers reported on Thursday. The studies show that influenza vaccines protect not only women, who are extremely vulnerable to flu when pregnant, but also their babies before and after birth, the researchers said ... They hope their findings, presented at a meeting in Philadelphia of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, will encourage women to get... (MEDLINEplus)
Swine flu cheaters getting vaccine Oct 31, 2009
Sometimes they were healthy adults or senior citizens instead of kids, pregnant women and people with health problems ... Aware of scant supplies up front, Santa Barbara County clinics administered their 4,400 shots to pregnant women only ... In Oregon, Portland metro area officials say pregnant women and children are moved to the front of the lines and inoculated before the general public. (MSNBC -- Health)
Group B strep vaccine shows promise in trial Oct 31, 2009
They said pregnant women who got the Group B Streptococcus vaccine were about one third less likely to carry the bacteria in the vagina and 43 percent less likely to carry the organism in the gut ... Group B Streptococcus live in the vagina and lower intestine of 15 percent to 40 percent of all healthy women in the United States ... Because group B strep poses a threat to newborns during labor and delivery, pregnant women are routinely tested and infected women are given intravenous antibiotics... (MSNBC -- Health)
Hundreds show for H1N1 shots Oct 31, 2009
The vaccine, of which the state received 55,000 doses, was at first targeted for high-risk groups which included pregnant women; children 6 months though 4 years old; parents, siblings and caregivers of children less than 6 months old; children and adolescents 5 through 18 years old who have underlying medical conditions; and health care workers. As many as 5. (Wetumpka Herald, AL)
Gene Variants Behind Vulnerability to Yeast Infections Oct 30, 2009
Small studies found two mutations in women who had recurring episodes ... WEDNESDAY, Oct. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have identified two genetic mutations that help account for the presence of recurring yeast infections in certain women ... Although the researchers focused their work on small and very specific populations with extreme conditions, the findings provide new insights into one of the most common and annoying maladies to afflict women. (MEDLINEplus)
Human Dectin-1 Deficiency and Mucocutaneous Fungal Infections Oct 29, 2009
We describe a family in which four women who were affected by either recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis or onychomycosis had the early-stop-codon mutation Tyr238X in the -glucan receptor dectin-1. The mutated form of dectin-1 was poorly expressed, did not mediate -glucan binding, and led to defective production of cytokines (interleukin-17, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin-6) after stimulation with -glucan or Candida albicans. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Swine Flu Etiquette: Should families self quarantine? Oct 29, 2009
I am not a germaphobe by nature and fairly laid back when it comes to stuff like this, but until I can get the vaccine, I am very concerned because I could die from this (10% of the deaths have been pregnant women and pregnant women are only 6% of the pop) ... Maternity leave was unpaid, but they provided STD coverage which paid me for six weeks of disability (as declared by the OB upon giving birth some women with complicated deliveries are declared disabled for eight weeks) ... Pregnant women... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living)
USF studies H1N1 flu vaccine Oct 27, 2009
The studies will see whether the H1N1 vaccine can safely elicit a protective immune response in infected pregnant women, as well as in infected children and young adults, a release from USF Health said ... Investigators plan to vaccinate about 130 HIV-infected women and 140 HIV-infected children and young adults around the country ... In the first study, to be conducted on HIV-infected pregnant women, about 10 women are expected to be enrolled in the Tampa Bay area, the release said. (Tampa Bay Business Journal, FL)
H1N1: 'pushing hospitals to their limit' Oct 27, 2009
Others are pregnant women, who account for a disproportionate number of deaths. In some cases, the flu has claimed otherwise healthy people with no apparent risk of severe disease. (USA Today)
Vaccination against Shingles Virus ... Oct 27, 2009
Immune compromised individuals, such as those with blood or bone cancer; HIV/AIDS who have T-cell counts below 200; people being treated with immune suppressing drugs and pregnant women. What Is the Difference Between the Shingles and Chickenpox Vaccines. (Suite101.com)
H1N1 to-do list Oct 25, 2009
So far this year, 28 pregnant women have died of H1N1, and 76 children died in the spring ... "You don't want the pregnant woman with influenza who is coughing and sneezing to go into the room with pregnant women who are well and just there to get routine prenatal care.". (CNN -- US)
Daines: Treat flu-like symptoms as H1N1 Oct 23, 2009
H1N1 also targets a different population, including pregnant women and children. All of this adds up to the higher possibility of employee absenteeism in this particular flu season. (Albany Business Review, NY)
Sperm Donor Passes Heart Defect to 9 Kids Oct 22, 2009
That said, I think these women need to understand that no one person has perfect genes. If they'd gotten pregnant in the conventional way, there would be just as many genetic possibilities for defects. (CBS News -- Sci/Tech)
E. coli twin boy leaves hospital Oct 21, 2009
Women 'witches' beaten in India. CCTV of Turkish boy's 'miracle' escape. (BBC News -- UK)
H1N1 kills Hanford boy Oct 20, 2009
In fact, a recent study of nearly 140,000 women found that women who breast fed their babies for at least one year were 10% to 15% less likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease when compared to mothers who never breast fed. Inmate hospital funds sliced. (Fresno Bee)
Carol Baker appointed chair of national CDC advisory committee on immunization practices Oct 20, 2009
The Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research at Texas Children's Hospital promotes healthier children and families by providing parents and health care professionals with the latest information and recommendations on vaccines for infants, children, adolescents, pregnant women and adults and by conducting research that contributes to effective vaccine delivery models. Information is available on its Web site. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Bay Area hooked on hookah Oct 19, 2009
On a recent Friday night in Palo Alto, three young women sat at a sidewalk table outside an old brick building that once housed Mills the Florist, a shop that has gone up in smoke. In its place is Da Hookah Spot, a lounge where people gather to puff flavored tobacco from a water pipe for hours at a time. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Maternal HIV-1 treatment protects against transmission to newborns Oct 17, 2009
While acknowledging more research is needed to develop safe, effective, and affordable ways to prevent postnatal transmission in settings with few resources, the study's authors recommend that women presenting late in pregnancy who have low CD4 counts and require antiretroviral treatment start HAART as soon as possible during pregnancy or postpartum. For women who do not need HAART for their own health because of a high CD4 countand who represented approximately 70 percent of the Malawi... (EurekAlert!)
Oh baby, where are we going? Oct 17, 2009
" A future full of dimwits and dullards? In Australia, the less educated are certainly having more kids than the more educated. One 2006 study found that Australian women who hadn't completed year 12 had on average 2.6 children, while those who had degrees had only 1.3 children. So, where are we heading as a species? Up or down? 00004000 Dr Darren Curnoe, a biological anthropologist at UNSW, says it's a fallacy that evolution invariably entails an improvement. It's more accurate to say that... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Two Swine Flu Shots for Kids Under 10 Likely Oct 16, 2009
Pregnant women and young children are among the groups most urged to seek the vaccine as soon as it is available. 2009 Associated Press. (Newsmax)
H1N1 Virus Claims Life Of County Girl, 5 Oct 15, 2009
Priorities for vaccination are pregnant women, people who have regular contact with infants under 6 months old, health care and emergency medical workers, youths up to age 24, and adults with existing medical conditions, Wooten said. There will be enough vaccine for people who want to be inoculated, she said. (TheSanDiegoChannel.com, CA)
76 Children Dead From Swine Flu Oct 13, 2009
Those who should be first in line include health-care workers, pregnant women, children, and people who care for infants, according to the CDC. ... One trial will include pregnant women infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and another, young adults infected with HIV since birth. (MEDLINEplus)
NIH Launches 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Trials In HIV-infected Pregnant Women Oct 12, 2009
11, 2009) The first clinical trials to test whether the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine can safely elicit a protective immune response in pregnant women has just been launched, and a trial to conduct the same test in HIV-infected children and youth will begin mid-October ... "These studies are important because HIV infection and pregnancy both increase the risk for a poor immune response to the normal 15-microgram dose of seasonal influenza vaccine given to the general population," says NIAID... (Science Daily)
HIV rates soar among young gays Oct 11, 2009
The bulletin's figures also show a surge in the diagnoses of chlamydia (up 17 per cent since this time last year for both men and women) and gonorrhoea (double last year's rate). Join the conversation. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Researchers identify mechanism that helps bacteria avoid destruction in cells Oct 10, 2009
Intracellular pathogens include Chlamydia, which causes infertility in women, and Legionella, which causes Legionnaire's disease. These pathogens are able to escape destruction and remain in the cells. (EurekAlert!)
H1N1 vaccine arrives in South Carolina Oct 10, 2009
The vaccine is undergoing testing in various populations, including pregnant women, and will soon be tested in those with HIV and asthma, said Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. So far, there have been no serious adverse events from the shots, he said. (The Augusta Chronicle)
NIH prepares to launch 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine trial in people with asthma Oct 10, 2009
These target populations include pregnant women, health care providers and individuals with underlying chronic medical conditions, including asthma ... Additional information about NIAID-sponsored clinical trials of candidate H1N1 vaccines can be found here: Clinical Trials of 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccines Conducted by the NIAID-Supported Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (); Pediatric Trials of Candidate 2009 H1N1 Vaccine at NIAID Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs) (); NIAID... (EurekAlert!)
Local hospital has H1N1 vaccine Oct 9, 2009
Dr. Reymann says pregnant women, as well as anyone who takes care of infants under 6 months old, and first responders are next on the list because babies are at a high risk for dangerous complications. But some parents are wary of getting the vaccine because it's so new and there are fears of unintended side effects. (WSJA.com, AL)
1 in 4 hospitalized swine flu patientsput in ICU Oct 9, 2009
Seven percent were pregnant, even though pregnant women make up only 1 percent of the general population ... That study also found a disproportionately large number of cases in pregnant women and the very obese. (MSNBC -- Health)
Birth control pills messing up human evolution Oct 8, 2009
There is no doubt that modern contraception has enabled women to have unprecedented control over their own fertility ... A new paper published by Cell Press in the October issue of the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution reviews emerging evidence suggesting that contraceptive methods which alter a woman's natural hormonal cycles may have an underappreciated impact on choice of partners for both women and men and, possibly, reproductive success ... Ovulating women exhibit a preference for... (Harper's Magazine)
Health officials ready for swine flu (26) Oct 8, 2009
Hoping to avoid that, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified several high-risk groups to receive early vaccinations: health care workers and emergency medical staff; pregnant women; young people between the ages of six months and 24 years; caregivers of infants under the age of 6 months; and people 25 to 64 who have chronic health disorders. This weeks initial shipments to states have been mostly reserved for health workers. (Carlisle Sentinel, PA)
Special report on swine flu Oct 8, 2009
Because of production and distribution schedules and who is most vulnerable to the virus, the federal guidelines call for the new H1N1 vaccine to be given first to pregnant women, those who live with or care for children 6 months or younger, health care workers and people ages 6 months to 24 years. Sept. 17: Senate Bill 2028, passed unanimously by the state Senate on April 28, empowers state and local health officials to quarantine citizens and search, close, evacuate and destroy private... (Allston Brighton TAB, MA)
'It could happen to any family' Oct 7, 2009
This does tell us that despite our best interventions, people can succumb to this," said Dr. Ellerin, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth. Ellerin stressed that this emphasizes the need for people to get vaccinated when inoculations are made available. Vaccine is probably the most important measure people take against swine flu. Some medical centers suggest patients monitor the facility's web site for when swine flu vaccine will be available. Obtaining protection... (Weymouth News, MA)
Protect Children First With H1N1 Flu Vaccine, Says National Pediatric Disease Expert Oct 2, 2009
Pregnant women, adults who have high-risk medical conditions and health-care workers who are direct care providers are among the others who will be given the earliest shots, says Kimberlin, who is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases and associate editor of the academy's Red Book, a revered pediatric treatment manual ... 24, 2009) Eight maternal and child health information providers urged pregnant women to be vaccinated against both the seasonal flu... (Science Daily)
What to know about getting H1N1 vaccine Oct 2, 2009
The nasal spray will most likely be the first to be widely distributed, however certain groups, including pregnant women, young children and people with compromised immune systems, cannot receive the nasal spray ... These groups include: pregnant women; caregivers and household contacts of children younger than 6 months; everyone between the ages of 6 months and 24 years; and people ages 25 to 64 with existing health problems ... So far, the NIH has vaccinated more than 60 pregnant women as part... (CNN)
Swine flu targets young people Oct 2, 2009
Swine flu is also hitting pregnant women harder than the seasonal flu ... Federal health officials have also prioritized pregnant women, health care workers, people who live or care for children under 6 months of age, and people ages 24 to 64 who have chronic health problems. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Africa: Successful HIV Vaccine Study Will Lead to Further Research Oct 1, 2009
The study, the largest in HIV vaccine history, was conducted in the Rayong and Chonburi provinces with 16,402 men and women ages 18 to 30 who were at various levels of risk for HIV infection, the NIAID said ... Thai men and women were given either a placebo or the "prime-boost" combination of the vaccine ALVAC, from Sanofi Pasteur SA, which is the vaccine division of French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis; and the vaccine AIDSVAX, originally developed by VaxGen Inc. and now held by Global Solutions... (allAfrica.com)
Microchip That Can Detect Type And Severity Of Cancer Created Oct 1, 2009
27, 2006) Women with mental disorders are less likely to have screening mammograms than women without mental illness, although the nature of the mental illness does play a role. Prior to this study, little was. (Science Daily)
U.S. to Start Testing Swine Flu Vaccines in Children Sep 30, 2009
Last month, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended pregnant women, health care and emergency medical workers, people caring for infants under 6 months old, children and young adults from 6 months to 24 years old and people 25 to 64 years old with chronic medical conditions such as asthma and diabetes be vaccinated first -- a total of 160 million people. (Editing by Cynthia Osterman). (MEDLINEplus)
Pregnant women more at risk for flu Sep 30, 2009
These women are a priority group to get both the seasonal flu vaccine and the swine or H1N1 vaccine ... Here are the staggering statistics: Doctors say pregnant women make up only 1 percent of the U.S. population but already they make up 6 percent of those who have died from flu in the U.S. And they are four times more likely to be hospitalized with flu than women who are not pregnant ... It is important that pregnant women only get the shots, never the nasal spray flu vaccine. (WWLTV.com, LA)
Vaccine helps prevent HIV Sep 26, 2009
The study tested the combo in HIV-negative Thai men and women aged 18 to 30 at average risk of becoming infected. Half received four priming doses of ALVAC and two boost doses of AIDSVAX over six months. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Swine Flu Virus Not Mutating, Making Vaccine a Good Match Sep 26, 2009
It's not recommended for children younger than 2 years; for people with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes; for pregnant women; or for people older than 49. Children and pregnant women are among those at greatest risk for complications from the H1N1 flu, according to the CDC. ... Other priority groups include pregnant women, health-care workers and people who care for infants and children. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Pregnant Women Need Flu Shots, Organizations Urge Sep 25, 2009
24, 2009) Pregnant women should be sure to get all their flu shots as soon as the vaccines become available this year to protect them against both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 (swine) flu, according to eight leading national maternal and infant health organizations ... The eight organizations the March of Dimes, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the... (Science Daily)
HIV vaccine: All you wanted to know Sep 25, 2009
The researchers will be keen to find out if this or a similar vaccine will work among people most likely to contract the virus, especially in Africa, where it is mostly transmitted between men and women ... Most people who are infected live in Africa and now most of these are women, many who are infected by their husbands or partners in a committed relationship. (India Times, India)
Uganda: New Hope for Aids Vaccine Sep 25, 2009
Women are particularly affected by the epidemic in Uganda, representing 59% of those infected. Young women are nine times more likely than young men to contract HIV, the AIDS commission says. (allAfrica.com)
AIDS breakthrough as vaccine cuts infections for first time Sep 25, 2009
The vaccine was tested on volunteers -- all HIV negative men and women aged from 18 to 30 -- at average risk of infection in two Thai provinces near Bangkok starting in October 2003. Half received the vaccine and the rest were given a placebo. (Yahoo! Asia News)
HIV Vaccine Regimen Demonstrates Modest Preventive Effect In Thailand Clinical Study Sep 25, 2009
"For the first time, an investigational HIV vaccine has demonstrated some ability to prevent HIV infection among vaccinated individuals. Additional research is needed to better understand how this vaccine regimen reduced the risk of HIV infection, but certainly this is an encouraging advance for the HIV vaccine field. "We thank the trial staff in Thailand and the United States for their years of effort in successfully conducting this study and the study participants and the people of Thailand... (Science Daily)
HIV Vaccine Study First to Show Some Effectiveness in Preventing HIV Sep 24, 2009
The U.S. Army would like to thank the more than 16,000 Thai men and women who consented to participate in this trial and the efforts of the Thai Ministry of Public Health and all collaborators for their hard work in achieving this important milestone ... More than 16,000 HIV-negative men and women between the ages of 18 to 30 participated in the study; half of these participants received the prime-boost vaccine regimen and half received placebo. (PR Newswire)
AVAC Praises Thai AIDS Vaccine Trial Collaborators and Volunteers for Historic Study Sep 24, 2009
"We congratulate the trial sponsors, scientific collaborators and partners who conducted this trial, and especially want to thank the more than 16,400 Thai men and women whose altruism and commitment as trial volunteers made this effort possible. These volunteers and their communities have made an inestimable contribution to HIV prevention research. We all owe them a debt of gratitude," Warren said. "As we move forward in our search for vaccines and other new HIV prevention interventions,... (PR Newswire)
H1N1 vaccine safe, health workers told Sep 23, 2009
Pregnant women, anyone who lives with an infant under the age of 6 months, emergency personnel, people with chronic health conditions and children and young adults ages 6 months to 24 years are priority groups. The first several weeks that the vaccine is available, it will be in limited supply, according to Poland. (Sioux City Journal, IO)
Some need only 1 shot Sep 22, 2009
Some need only 1 swine flu shot 092209 - The Augusta Chronicle. As health departments in the area launched their push Monday to provide seasonal flu shots, public health officials got welcome news about the vaccine against novel influenza A H1N1 -- most older children appear to need only one shot to be protected. (The Augusta Chronicle)
• Parents ponder: To vaccinate or not against swine flu Sep 20, 2009
Epidemiologists have found that children, young adults and pregnant women who catch the new flu run a greater risk than the elderly of developing complications; as a result, all three groups top the list of those recommended to get H1N1 vaccine this year. And even before the new strain emerged, many epidemiologists had embraced the view that vaccinating schoolchildren - the most prolific spreaders of germs - might be the best way to reduce the seasonal flu's hold on the entire population. (Burley South Idaho Press, ID)
Abbott shopping around for pharma growth, analysts say Sep 19, 2009
This year's Women to Watch tell how they're managing the economic downturn in their work and in. There's loads of small business advice and information floating around out there. (Crain's Chicago Business)
Doctors: Brace And Prepare For The Flu Sep 18, 2009
The first priority groups recommended to receive the H1N1 vaccine are pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency medical services workers who care for patients, children 6 months through 4 years of age, and children 5 through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions ... Seasonal Flu VaccineAlthough seasonal flu vaccine is recommended for everyone, priority groups for seasonal flu vaccine are children age 6 months... (KWTX.com, TX)
Australia Swine Flu Vaccination Starts in 12 Days, Testing Global Interest Sep 18, 2009
The first challenge facing governments will be to convince the highest priority people, including pregnant women, asthmatics and health-care workers, that getting the shot is safer than risking infection. Australia will be one of the first countries providing vaccine to its population, Roxon told reporters in the national capital, Canberra. (Bloomberg -- Australia & New Zealand)
Clinical trial of antiretroviral-based HIV prevention strategies for women now under way Sep 17, 2009
A new, large-scale clinical trial is examining whether antiretroviral medications normally used to treat HIV infection can also prevent HIV infection in women when applied as a vaginal gel or taken as oral tablets once daily. The study, called Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic (VOICE) or MTN-003, will involve up to 5,000 HIV-uninfected women at risk for HIV infection in four African countries ... "The VOICE study is designed to answer multiple crucial questions about these... (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Nearly 1 million doses of H1N1 vaccine to arrive in Arizona Sep 16, 2009
The highest-priority groups for getting the shots are infants and young children, kids with chronic health infections and pregnant women. Next in line will be school-age students and adults who care for newborns or have chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes. (AZCentral)
Weighing Costs, Benefits Of HIV Treatments Sep 16, 2009
So go two of the dilemmas looming over Dartmouth's Paul E. Palumbo, M.D., and his fellow researchers in the race to fight HIV and other infectious diseases in the developing world especially among women and their young children. See also. (Science Daily)
Artificial Intelligence Helps Diagnose Cardiac Infections Sep 15, 2009
12, 2006) Scientists have discovered the basis for a noninvasive test to diagnose common infections in pregnant women that are a major cause of premature births and infant deaths. The University of. (Science Daily)
Pregnant Women's Vulnerability to Swine Flu Tied to Cell Infection-Fighter Sep 15, 2009
Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Pregnant women may be more vulnerable to swine flu because an infection-fighting blood cell fails to do its job within this group, Australian doctors said. The finding emerged after doctors in Melbourne analyzed blood tests to determine why pregnant women made up a majority of their critically ill patients ... The results, reported at a medical meeting in San Francisco, showed six out of seven of the women lacked a cell known as subclass 2, or IgG2. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
Department of health reports death associated with H1N1 Sep 15, 2009
These include pregnant women, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, other lung diseases, heart disease, or a compromised immune system. To date, this strain of influenza has predominantly affected younger people. (Chatham Star Tribune, VA)
Speedier Vaccine Access Increasing the Chance Swine Flu May Be Controlled Sep 15, 2009
The first challenge facing health authorities will be to convince the highest priority people, including children, pregnant women and health-care workers, that getting the shot is safer than risking infection ... Results arent ready yet for children, pregnant women or the elderly. (Bloomberg -- Australia & New Zealand)
