UK: PARTICLES IN THE STRATOSPHERE MAY CAUSE FLU

Article Abstract:

Researchers at the University of Wales claim that the flu epidemic could possibly be caused by particles in the stratosphere coming down to the Earth's surface. The scientists believe these particles could contain the DNA molecules or trigger organisms or the actual virus itself, which is brought to Earth by microwaves during sunspots or other peaks of solar activity. The scientists believe by monitoring the peaks of solar activity it could help predict other epidemics as there is a short time lapse between a solar activity and the effects reaching Earth.

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US: RESEARCH INTO CAUSE OF AIDS VIRUS

Article Abstract:

Aids laboratories are to try and establish whether the HIV virus jumped from chimpanzees to humans as the result of using a vaccine for polio that was developed from chimpanzee tissue. During the 1950s the Winstar Institute in Philadelphia developed a vaccine for polio using tissue taken from monkeys. Batches of this vaccine have been stored for over 50 years and are now to be tested to see if they are responsible for the spread of the HIV virus. HIV has recently been proven to be very similar to the SIV virus that attacks monkeys, and therefore there is the possibility that the polio vaccine contained the SIV virus and transmitted it to humans. The polio vaccine was initially given to people in the Belgian Congo in the 1950s.

United States, Product standards, safety, & recalls, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences, Antiinfective Preparations, Viral Disease R&D, Anti-infective agents, Viral research

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UK: BREAKTHROUGH FOR ORGAN TRANSPLANT PATIENTS

Article Abstract:

Doctors at Cambridge University have found a way of preventing organ rejection by transplant patients, by using a synthetic antibody called Campath before the operation. A clinical trial tested the drug on 30 transplant patients, who were then able to survive on just one anti-rejection drug, at a lower dosage than normal. Campath works by temporarily clearing the lymphocyte cells from the bloodstream. Once they return to normal they do not seem to recognise the new organ as a foreign body. The research, which is published in the Journal of Transplantation, may open the way for xenografts, animal-to-human transplants.

Health Care and Social Assistance, Surgical Procedures, Blood Disease Preps, Surgery, University of Cambridge, Hematologic agents

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