ViroBlogy

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

A genetic finding could help explain why influenza becomes a life-threatening disease to some people while it has only mild effects in others.  New research led by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute has identified for the first time a human gene that influences how we respond to influenza infection.

People who carry a particular variant of a gene called IFITM3 are significantly more likely to be hospitalised when they fall ill with influenza than those who carry other variants, the team found. This gene plays a critical role in protecting the body against infection with influenza and a rare version of it appears to make people more susceptible to severe forms of the disease. The results are published in the journal Nature.

Graphic courtesy Russell Kightley Media

Via www.sciencedaily.com

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

Primary going children from schools [in Uganda] where the new HIV syllabus is being piloted are embracing it with excitement, saying it would redeem the future generation of the deadly HIV/Aids.

Good news from Africa!

Via www.monitor.co.ug

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

Really??  HIV-infected Ukrainian hookers are the ONLY reason to avoid sex workers while on a football-watching excursion??

Via thesun.mobi

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

Two of the most unhealthy places to work are hospitals and schools. Hospitals obviously are frequented by sick people, and children often carry and spread illnesses to each other and their families.

To clamp down on infectious disease, hospitals in the area are requiring their employees to get flu shots. Charleston Area Medical Center began requiring the 6,000 employees at its various hospitals to get flu shots in August 2009, ahead of fears of a swine flu epidemic.

Last year, fewer than 30 employees received waivers for various reasons, and the hospital system fired two people who refused to be vaccinated. The utmost concern was for the protection of other employees and patients.

It is a matter for amazement to me that HEALTH CARE WORKERS refuse to get vaccinated against flu!

Via www.dailymail.com

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

The dreaded swine flu is back in the twin cities but guess what is keeping it on the leash? The rising temperature is more than compensating for the absence of precautionary measures so much so that doctors at the Government General and Chest Diseases Hospital at Erragadda are confident that the H1N1 virus will soon wither away.

Finally – a use for heat in India!

Via ibnlive.in.com

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

Here, we examined the effects of H5N1 on several pathological aspects affected in parkinsonism, including loss of the phenotype of dopaminergic neurons located in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), expression of monoamines and indolamines in brain, alterations in SNpc microglia number and morphology, and expression of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. We find that H5N1 induces a transient loss of the dopaminergic phenotype in SNpc and now report that this loss recovers by 90 d after infection. A similar pattern of loss and recovery was seen in monoamine levels of the basal ganglia….We conclude that H5N1 infection in mice induces a long-lasting inflammatory response in brain and may play a contributing factor in the development of pathologies in neurodegenerative disorders.

Via www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

Two antigenically distinct lineages of influenza B viruses have circulated globally since 1985.  However, licensed trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines contain antigens from only a single influenza B virus and thus provide limited immunity against circulating influenza B strains of the lineage not present in the vaccine. In recent years, predictions about which B lineage will predominate in an upcoming influenza season have been no better than chance alone, correct in only 5 of the 10 seasons from 2001 to 2011. Consequently, seasonal influenza vaccines could be improved by inclusion of influenza B strains of both lineages. The resulting quadrivalent influenza vaccines would allow influenza vaccination campaigns to respond more effectively to current global influenza epidemiology.

Influenza vaccine graphic courtesy Russell Kightley Media

Via www.landesbioscience.com

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

Rotavirus is a major cause of diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. The virus is transmitted through feco-oral route. Its incubation period is about two days.

Rotavirus graphic courtesy Russell Kightley Media

Via www.landesbioscience.com

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

An interesting, but not completely accurate animated account of HIV-1 particle entry and genome replication.

Spot the mistakes for a chance to contribute to Virology News…B-)

Via cardiologycorner.net

Via Scoop.it – Virology News

They belong to a club that no one else will ever join. Its numbers are dropping and notoriety is fading, and they risk becoming little more than a footnote in the history of the AIDS crisis.

Via www.latimes.com