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NEWS

Tuberculosis 

Zimbabwe to introduce isoniazid to prevent TB cases among HIV-Positive People
Zimbabwe's Health and Child Welfare Minister, David Parirenyatwa has announced government’s plan to introduce the antibiotic isoniazid in an effort to prevent HIV-positive people from developing tuberculosis. Statistics shows that about 70% of people with TB in Zimbabwe are also living with HIV.Health workers in the country will be trained on Isoniazid use, after which the drug will be rolled out nationwide.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200807080685.html

WHO announces new test to accelerate diagnosis of MDR-TB
The World Health Organization (WHO) and partner organizations have launched two new initiatives to improve diagnosis and treatment of patients with multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB). The first initiative is the implementation of molecular tests that will accelerate the diagnosis of MDR TB from the present standard 2-3 months to just two days. Another initiative deals with the expense and supply of second-line TB drugs.

Over the next four years, laboratory staff will be trained, laboratory facilities enhanced and new equipment installed to allow the tests to be conducted in sixteen countries where MDR TB treatment programmes are already underway.
http://www.accessmed-msf.org/main/tuberculosis/who-mdr-tb-tests-initiative/

Malaria

Researchers discover potential new way to fight Malaria through use of eight genes
A team of researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Australia have discovered a potential new method of fighting malaria worldwide by pinpointing eight genes that help the Plasmodium falciparum parasite remodel red blood cells.
The study found that removing just one of the proteins stops the sack from sticking to blood vessel walls. The discovery significantly enhances the understanding of how P. falciparum operates.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/07/09/2298716.htm

Malaria prevention reduces anaemia and improves educational potential in Kenyan school children
Providing preventive treatment for malaria, given once per term, dramatically reduces rates of malaria infection and anaemia among school children, and significantly improves their cognitive ability, according to new research published in the Lancet- UK Medical Journal.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/lsoh-mpr070908.php

HIV and AIDS   

Vaginal microbicides might help men more than women
According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, women who use microbicides in an effort to protect themselves from HIV could end up with fewer treatment options if they contracted the virus, due to possible drug resistance.
The researchers also found that microbicides, which typically are aimed at protecting women from HIV, could be equally or more effective at protecting men. If the microbicides are perfected, they could reduce the risk of men contracting HIV from women.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0745795820080708?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

People with HIV at a risk of developing blood clots
A study has found that people with HIV have an increased risk of developing blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the veins).
Researchers found that these blood clots happened ten times more often in people with HIV than in the general population. However, there was no evidence to prove that treatment with anti-HIV drugs increased the risk of blood clots.
http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/AD454A3C-A34E-4D33-AEED-2C963EBAA96F.asp

Gender may influence reaction to HIV-prevention materials
A new study in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology revealed that gender may influence a person’s reaction to HIV-prevention materials. Researchers found that both men and women were likely to avoid gender-mismatched brochures (showing one gender). The study also found overwhelming gender differences in exposure to the intervention. Women read more brochures, were more involved in reading, and retained more information from all six brochures than did men.
"As the incidence of HIV is rising in the female population, understanding how to facilitate women's participation in effective HIV risk-reduction interventions is crucial to public health," the authors concludes.
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/119392192/HTMLSTART

Concordant HIV infection and visceral leishmaniasis (black fever) in Ethiopia: the influence of antiretroviral treatment and other factors on outcome
Infectious Disease Society of America has published a research report aimed at creating understanding on the relationship between Coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Africa. In the study, 356 patients coinfected with HIV and VL treated in Humera, northwest Ethiopia, were evaluated from February 2003 to October 2006, for the risk factors of VL relapse and death and the effect of antiretroviral therapy (ART).
During 2928 patient-months of follow-up, 256 VL episodes and 39 deaths occurred. The study proves that concordant HIV infection and VL is a major, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-defining illness with high relapse and mortality rates; ART however reduces relapses; and secondary antileishmanial prophylaxis may benefit patients at risk of relapse.
http://fieldresearch.msf.org/msf/bitstream/10144/29477/1/Ter%20Horst.pdf

Antibiotics

New antibiotics could prove deadly    
A new family of drugs, called "Ramp" antimicrobials, are being developed in response to growing resistance to existing antibiotic drugs.The new drug work in the same way as many of the methods which the body itself has always used to rid itself of bacterial infections. Researchers however, warn that it is possible that bacteria will acquire resistance which will make life more difficult, since our own defence mechanisms will be rendered far less potent.
They say that even minor cuts and grazes will take longer to heal, and could even progress to far more serious bacterial infections. In addition, the body's inability to keep down other types of bacteria could lead to a surge in chronic illnesses such as heart disease and cystic fibrosis.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2994528.stm

FDA approves new antibiotic for resistant bacteria
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for hospital patients with serious bacterial infections, including those resistant to most antibiotics.
The new drug, called Tygacil, is from the first new class of antibiotics to be marketed in several years. The manufacturer, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, said the intravenous drug will be used as a first-line treatment for stomach and skin infections and is effective against enough different bacteria to be used before doctors know which ones are causing the infection.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2005/06/16/AR2005061601434.html

RESOURCES

Reports     

Towards universal access: scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector
The report examines key areas in which efforts to scale up services are insufficient to the achievement of the global goal of moving towards "universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support" for HIV by 2010.
http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/towards_universal_access_report_2008.pdf

New website

Medecins Sans Frontieres’ research accessible to health workers in developing Countries
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has launched a website making its research publications available. The site has over 350 articles on HIV care, malaria, tuberculosis, leishmaniasis and other diseases, as well as more general topics such as medical care in emergencies, etc.
http://fieldresearch.msf.org/msf/