Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is a relatively little-known virus and was not recognized as a distinct human disease until 1980. Although the disease appears to be present globally, it may be endemic in many parts of northern and subSaharan Africa, including Cameroon. The primary “host” for Hepatitis E (the species with whom the virus has evolved to rely on for its survival) is currently considered to be humans, although antibodies to the virus (showing us that the individual has been exposed to the virus) have been found in a variety of animals, including rodents and pigs.

Hepatitis E seems to be different from other forms of Hepatitis, such as A, B, or C, in that young adults seem to be more susceptible to infection than children. The virus poses a particular risk to pregnant women, where it can cause secondary acute liver failure, but in most young adults it is controlled naturally by the body. read more

Significant Pharmaceuticals Reported in US Patents


This book identifies the next generation of pharmaceuticals reported in US Patents. Pharmaceuticals are reported for 27 separate classes of illness, including;AIDS, Alzheimer's Disease, Cardiovascular Disorders, Diabetes, Epilepsy, Hepatitis C, Osteoporosis, Obesity and Sleep Disorders.
Clear structural depictions of reagents and chemical transformations have been supplied to permit the identification of other future applications.
* Identifies next generation pharmaceuticals
* Provides practical preparation methods for each active agent and derivatives
* Documents the analytical characterization and biological testing results of active agents.
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Hepatitis C and treatment

When you use a treatment for hepatitis C, try to keep in mind that there are three very important things that a hepatitis treatment tryes to do. The first thing is to completely remove the hepatitis C virus from your organism, then to slow down, stop if possible the damaging of your liver and last but not least to remove all the hepatitis C symptoms that you have and thus make you feel a lot better. There are two types of hepatitis C treatment that have been aproved since now by the doctors. The first hepatitis C treatment is with interferon or with pegylated interferon alone, with no other combination and the second hepatitis C treatment is interferon combined with ribavirin. Doctors give hepatitis C patients interferon, because this drug is a kind of protein that can help fight the infection that you have. All people have interferon in their organism, so by taking this hepatitis C treatment you will have more interferon that you would normally do. This drug used to cure hepatitis C can be found in the form of a shot.
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Dietary Carcinogens that Increase the Risk of Cancer

One way our diet may increase the risk of cancer is by dietary carcinogens
An example of this is ‘Aflatoxin’, a mycotoxin produced by fungi. Grains and nuts can be contaminated by fungus, which then produce chemicals called aflatoxins. They are known to cause liver cancer in Africa and the Far East, especially in people who are carriers of hepatitis antigens.
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Food handlers learn how to avoid foodbourne diseases

The Hepatitis A virus, which is common throughout the world, can cause nausea, fatigue, a jaundiced condition, fever, dark coloured urine, clay coloured stools, liver damage and even death for those persons who eat shellfish from contaminated waters.

These symptoms last for one to two weeks, and persons can avoid getting this disease by only buying shellfish from nationally certified and approved individuals and organisations and ensuring that these shellfish are properly cleaned after you buy them and before you cook them.

Other foodbourne diseases include shigellosis, bacillus cereus, campylobacter enteritis, clostridium perfringens, staphylococcal intoxication, scombroid, taeniasis, ciguatera intoxication and trichinella spiralis.
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Vaccine Gap for Underinsured Children

Aug. 7, 2007 -- Underinsured children may be going without recommended vaccines due to limited federal and state funding, a new study shows.
Kids who are underinsured for immunization come from families with private health insurance that doesn't fully cover vaccination costs.
The new study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, is based on information provided by state immunization program managers during 2005 and 2006.
The researchers included Grace Lee, MD, MPH, of Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.
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Officials probe Hepatitis-A outbreak in Romanian village


Health officials have launched an investigation after some 50 teenagers in the same village were hospitalised with what is thought to be Hepatitis-A, officials sources said Tuesday.
Tests have already confirmed that 32 children have contracted the disease.
The teenagers, aged 12 to 14 years, are all from the northeastern village of Lungani. Authorities vaccinated 720 children in the village against the Hepatitis-A virus after the first children were hospitalised.
Although the inquiry is ongoing, preliminary investigated has suggested that a lack of good hygiene could have been behind the outbreak.
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Peregrine Pharma Says Its Bavituximab HCV Phase Ib Study Results Selected For Oral Presentation - Quick Facts

RTTNews) - Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc. (PPHM | charts | news | PowerRating) on Tuesday revealed the selection of final data from its Phase Ib study of bavituximab in patients with chronic hepatitis C viral or HCV infection for an oral presentation at The Liver Meeting 2007.

The company said it believes that bavituximab represents a unique approach with significant clinical promise for treating chronic hepatitis C virus infections.

Bavituximab is the first investigational agent in a new class of anti-phosphotidylserine monoclonal antibodies that targets and binds to cellular components that are normally not present on the outside of cells, but that become exposed on certain virally infected cells and on the surface of enveloped viruses.
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Infected inmates pose wider health risk: studies


Prisoners in Quebec and Ontario have alarmingly high rates of HIV or hepatitis C infections, finds two new studies published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. And this public health crisis is reaching beyond prison gates.

Richard Elliott, an advocate with the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, wrote a commentary on the studies that appeared in the same edition of the journal. In it, he notes the public is also at risk thanks to lacking efforts by health care officials.

"They go back to their family and friends and they go back to their communities and any diseases they may have acquired while in prison come with them," Elliott said about the prisoners.
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