Recent News

By Region: Africa

Anthrax Death Reported in Siberia

(The Daily Disease) Russia declared a state of emergency after an anthrax outbreak caused its first death. The outbreak occurred in the village of Druzhba, in the Altai region of Western Siberia. Local news reports the deceased man became infected after handling the carcass of a sick cow. An additional two confirmed and seven suspected Read More »

August 30, 2012
| Filed under Africa, North America, Agents & Toxins, International, and Public Health
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African experts meet over biosafety protocol

(Africa Science News) Delegates from 15 African countries signatories to the Cartagena Protocol are meeting Tuesday in Pretoria, South Africa to review and discuss matters touching on the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The meeting is a preparatory session for the sixth Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties Read More »

August 29, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, North America, South Asia, Biosafety, and International
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Rare Rodent-Borne Disease Hantavirus, Connected to Two deaths, Third Illness Confirmed

(The Guardian Express) Hantaviruses are negative sense RNA viruses in the Bunyaviridae family. Humans may be infected with this virus through rodent bites, urine, and saliva or contact with rodent waste products. Some of these viruses can be potentially fatal in humans causing hemorrhagic fever and worse. In recent days two deaths have been the Read More »

August 29, 2012
| Filed under Africa, North America, Agents & Toxins, International, and Public Health
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Guinea worm is poised to become the second human disease to be eradicated

(The Washington Post) Guinea worm disease is reaching the end of its days. The parasitic infection, which has sickened millions, mostly in Asia and Africa, is on the verge of being done in not by sophisticated medicine but by aggressive public health efforts in some of the poorest and most remote parts of the world. Read More »

August 29, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, South Asia, International, and Public Health
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MMV develops framework to assess risk of resistance for antimalarial compounds

(EurekAlert) Medicines for Malaria Venture has developed a framework to evaluate the risk of resistance for the antimalarial compounds in its portfolio. A paper based on this work: A framework for assessing the risk of resistance for antimalarials in development has been published in the Malaria Journal today. Resistance defines the longevity of every anti-infective Read More »