ViroBlogy

See on Scoop.it – Virology News

The varroa mite is causing a highly contagious virus to proliferate in honeybee colonies here and around the globe, Hawaii and British researchers have found.

Researchers from the University of Hawaii, the University of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, the British Marine Biological Association, and the British Food and Environmental Research Agency studied the pest in Hawaii.

Their research, reported Friday in the journal Science, showed how the varroa mite caused the virus, a known pathogen, to increase its frequency among honeybee colonies to 100 percent from 10 percent.

The study showed that along with this change, a millionfold increase in the number of virus particles infect- ing each bee and a huge reduction in viral strain diversity led to the single virulent virus that deforms wings.

See on www.staradvertiser.com

See on Scoop.it – Virology News

“A nationwide drop in the number of genital warts cases has been attributed to the controversial HPV vaccine, which is free for teenage girls.

Sexual health clinics reported a 10 per cent decrease in genital warts last year compared to 2010, according to the Institute of Environmental Science and Research’s annual report on sexually transmitted infections.

Family Planning national medical advisor Christine Roke attributed the fewer first-time cases of genital warts to the HPV vaccine, which was introduced in late 2008.

“It reduces the chances of getting warts if people have it before they are sexually active.”

The vaccine – now a routine immunisation for 12-year-old girls – aims to protect women against human papillomavirus and the risk of developing cervical cancer later in life.”

Nice example of the knock-on effect in public health due to a vaccine – in this case, even though only girls are getting the papillomavirus vaccine, bot sexes are protected against spread of genital warts caused by the viruses.

HPV graphic courtesy of Russell Kightley Media

See on www.stuff.co.nz