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(CIDRAP News) – A drug that researchers hoped would offer the first effective treatment for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)—a sometimes fatal kidney condition that can result from eating food contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7—has proved ineffective in a major clinical trial.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has found Escherichia coli O157:H7 in fewer ground beef samples this year than in past years, suggesting that a year-old initiative to keep the pathogen out of meat is paying off.

(CIDRAP News) – A new blood test for West Nile virus (WNV) is not foolproof but has made the blood supply safer now than it was a year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported today.

(CIDRAP News) – The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) today announced a new $85 million program to study the human immune response to diseases of bioterrorism and develop vaccines, drugs, and other countermeasures.

(CIDRAP News) – The last areas of California under quarantine for exotic Newcastle disease (END) were released yesterday, signaling the end of an 11-month, $160 million battle to control the highly infectious disease of poultry and other birds.

(CIDRAP News) – A voluntary smallpox vaccination policy for the public is likely to produce an inadequate level of protection for the nation in the event of a smallpox attack, according to a recent study based on mathematical modeling.

(CIDRAP News) – Federal health officials have announced $26.6 million in grants to universities and health systems around the country to improve bioterrorism preparedness training and education for healthcare professionals.

(CIDRAP News) – A Singapore man who tested positive for SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) is doing well and will probably be released from a hospital to home quarantine this week, the Singapore Ministry of Health said today.

(CIDRAP News) – In response to criticism from smallpox expert Dr. D. A. Henderson, the senior author of a recent study on smallpox immunity has defended his group's conclusion that a single smallpox shot may provide at least some protection for decades or even for life.

(CIDRAP News) – West Nile virus infected 1,067 people the week of Sep 4 to 10, more than double the number the previous week, and claimed 17 more lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

So far this year there have been 2,923 cases with 54 deaths, the CDC reports in the Sep 12 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. That compares with 4,156 cases and 284 deaths last year.

(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO), while not dismissing the report of a SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) case in Singapore, said today the case is not a major concern.

(CIDRAP News) – A 27-year-old Singapore man has twice tested positive for SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and is regarded as having a probable case, even though the case doesn't meet the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, the Singapore Ministry of Health said today.

(CIDRAP News) – The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) yesterday announced a clinical trial to assess whether a new immunoglobulin product can alleviate or prevent encephalitis in patients infected with West Nile virus (WNV).

(CIDRAP News) – Chinese scientists found that animals sold at street markets in Guangdong, China, carried a coronavirus nearly identical to the SARS coronavirus, according to a report published recently in Science.

(CIDRAP News) – A recent US intelligence report envisions three possible scenarios for a return of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) this winter, ranging from small outbreaks in a few countries to a repeat of the widespread outbreaks that occurred last winter and spring.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Department of Health and Human Services yesterday announced $350 million in grants for eight regional centers to lead and coordinate research on defenses against bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases.

(CIDRAP News) – The number of new West Nile virus infection cases decreased in the past week compared with the previous week, but the number of deaths rose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

(CIDRAP News) – The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said this week it is making $1.4 billion available to states and territories to improve their preparedness for terrorism and other public health emergencies.

(CIDRAP News) – A new study on anthrax in mice indicates that the organism kills its victims by a different mechanism than previously believed, a finding that could change the approach to drug development for anthrax.

(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) says influenza vaccination may yield an extra benefit this year: limiting the number of false alarms for SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).