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The article discusses the success of the acute hepatitis immunization program and challenges posed by acute hepatitis B in Italy. Italy has emerged as the first European country to require universal hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination in 1992. Among the causes of acute HBV infection after the implementation of mandatory immunizations are blood transfusions and living with an HBV carrier. HBV infection endemic in children is attributed by the author to vertical and horizontal transmission.

The article focuses on a study which examined the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The study was designed to analyze the idea that MRSA carriers identified only by active surveillance have low frequency of skin and environmental contamination compared with MRSA-infected patients identified with positive cultures. Study researchers found that MRSA carriers identified by active surveillance and positive cultures are equally likely to transmit the infection.

The article focuses on a study led by Cynthia Lucero of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which found that at least one death in a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, may be attributed to a multidrug-assistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak associated with contaminated mobile radiology equipment. Lucero states that the investigation underscores the importance of thorough, consistent cleaning of shared equipment and the importance of cleaning protocols in preventing the spread of nosocomial infections.

The article focuses on the record rates of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report "Anti-Tuberculosis Drug Resistance in the World." About 5% of the nine million TB cases are classified as MDR-TB. Surveys from Latvia and Ukraine found that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was associated with MDR-TB. In 2008, approximately $8.4 billion is needed for overall TB control in low- and middle-income countries.

The article discusses the health challenges posed by age-associated comorbidities and comorbidities related to HIV treatment in older HIV-positive persons. Data on such comorbidities were presented by William G. Powderly at the 15th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections held in 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. It emphasizes the need for physicians to be aware of the fact that antiretroviral treatment effects may diminish in patients older than 50 years.

This article focuses on a commentary released by public health officials David Morens and Anthony Fauci, which noted that dengue fever and its severe forms are potential threats to people in the U.S. Already present along the U.S.-Mexico border and in Puerto Rico, public health officials should be alert to the threat since no treatments or vaccines for dengue are currently available. There is an estimated 50 to 100 million cases of dengue fever reported across the world annually.

This article offers an overview of the One Health Initiative, which is aimed at improving partnerships between physicians and veterinarians. Several medical organizations and health agencies that endorse the initiative include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. The first meeting of the One Health Initiative Task Force was held in November 2007.

The article deals with the findings of a study which revealed that individual behavior risk factors for HIV do not explain elevated HIV rates among black men who have sex with men. The study identifies the factors that contribute to racial disparity in HIV prevalence between black and with men who have sex with men in the U.S.

The article discusses research being done on herpes suppressive therapy. It references a study by D. Watson-Jones et al published in a 2008 issue of "The New England Journal of Medicine." The study found that treatment of herpes simplex virus type 2 with acyclovir may not decrease the incidence of HIV infection in patients in Tanzania.

The article looks at the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing program in Africa. International funding and the creative approaches to testing improved the HIV testing program in the country. However, the global shortage in health care workers has negatively affected HIV testing efforts in Africa. Elizabeth Marum, a behavioral scientist with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Global AIDS Program, claims that improved technology and innovative actions should be done to increase HIV testing in Africa.

The article discusses research being done on the early administration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. It references a study by S. Emery and colleagues, published in the 2008 issue of "The Journal of Infectious Diseases." Study researchers compared the clinical outcomes between patients who received early ART and those whose therapy was deferred until CD4+ counts decline to less than 250 cells per microliter (mcL). They claimed that early ART administration may improve outcomes.

The article discusses a study which examined the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in Ireland. The study is being conducted at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Study researchers screened patients at admission and on a weekly interval to determine the level of hospital-acquired MRSA infections. They found that hospital-acquired MRSA infection is not prevalent in Ireland.

The article discusses a study which examined the impact of concerns about the adverse events associated with influenza vaccine on health worker vaccinations in Florida. The study surveyed 300 health workers who were waiting to receive influenza vaccine between October and November 2007. It found that belief about the adverse effects of influenza vaccine did not influence the attitude of health care workers to receiving the vaccine.

The article focuses on a study which examined the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in northern Chicago, Illinois. Study researchers tested patients for Panton-Valentine leukocidin as a marker for the prevalence of community-associated MRSA. They found that MRSA is prevalent to patients with lower median household incomes and larger household sizes. The study also identified the risk factors for and clinical outcome of MRSA.

The article focuses on a study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which found that a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella serotype Montevideo, including three septic pediatric cases, was associated with exposure to mail-ordered poultry. CDC officer Umid M. Sharapov, says the mail-order hatching industry facilitates the transmission of bird associated human pathogens, including Salmonella and poses an important challenge to the public health community.

The article focuses on a study conducted by researchers from Duke University Medical Center and the Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center which found that functional status of patients obtained prior to surgery could be used to target methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevention initiatives. According to Deverick J. Anderson of Duke University Medical Center, if a person needs any assistance with even one activity of daily living, he or she is at much higher risk for MRSA surgical site infection.

The article focuses on a study led by John L. Po, senior infectious disease fellow at Boston University School of Medicine, which found that portable keyboards, often overlooked in infection control, can harbor resistant microorganisms easily transferred into patient rooms. According to Po, even though their institution has a policy for daily keyboard cleaning, that policy was not being adhered to. He adds that institutions that use mobile computers should include keyboard cleaning protocol in infection control programs.

The article focuses on a study conducted by researchers at several university medical schools, The Southern Research Institute and the EMMES Corp., which found that a two-dose regimen of subvirion influenza A H5N1 vaccine was well tolerated. According to the study, influenza A virus has a high rate of human mortality and deaths have occurred in 12 countries. Researchers concluded that vaccination remains the most attractive strategy for preventing or limiting the spread of the disease.

The article focuses on a study conducted by researchers from the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Research Programme of the University of Malawi College of Medicine and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, which found that the bacteremia outbreaks in Blantyre, Malawi may have implications for treatment of severe febrile illness in adults and children in South Africa. The study showed that increased bacteremia was associated with the acquisition of multidrug resistance to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and chloramphenicol by each serovar.

The article focuses on a study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which found that restaurant workers do a good job overall storing and rinsing tomatoes for food safety. According to CDC researcher Vince J. Radke, restaurants are doing a pretty good job handling tomatoes, but they must do this 100 percent of the time. He mentions that if there are pathogenic organisms on the tomatoes and they are left in a warm environment, the organism has a chance to grow over time and has a better chance of causing illness.

The article focuses on a study conducted by Tammy L. Stuart and colleagues which found that contaminated mud ingested by mountain bikers during a lengthy race along sopping trails was the likely cause of a large Campylobacter jejuni outbreak in Canada in June 2007. The outbreak affected over 200 of 785 participants in the race in British Columbia on June 15, 2007. Researchers concluded that mud contaminated with animal feces was possibly the cause of the outbreak.

The article discusses a research on hepatitis C patients twice as likely to develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma when compared with a matched control group. It references a study by J. J. Spinelli et al, published in a 2008 issue of the "International Journal of Cancer." Hepatitis C is reportedly a risk factor for type II mixed cryoglobulinemia, which may evolve into B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The risk being associated with intravenous drug use and prior blood transfusions is indicated.

The article reports that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has released a report endorsing vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) as an effective strategy for cervical cancer prevention. It relates the prevalence of cervical cancer among women in Europe. A panel of independent experts coordinated by the ECDC has found that HPV vaccines, Gardasil from Merck and Cervarix from GlaxoSmithKline are effective in the prevention of more than 90% of precancerous lesions associated with HPV types 16 and 18.

The article reports on the discovery that the 2006 Salmonella outbreak was caused by a knife block used at a supermarket deli in Indiana, according to state health officials. In order to identify two affected areas, a reverse digit dialing system was used to analyze 32 patients and 32 controls matched by zip codes. About 76.2% of people with Salmonella consumed food purchased at the same deli. The investigation has led to the removal of knife blocks from all stores of the supermarket.

The article provides information on a study which found that patients with bloodstream infections caused by invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were more likely to die from infection after 180 days than patients with other MRSA infections. The study was presented at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in March 2008. Diabetes and HIV are among the cited comorbidities associated with increased fatality from invasive MRSA.

The article discusses a research on the link between hepatitis C and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). It references a study by JJ. Spinelli et al, published in a 2008 issue of the "International Journal of Cancer." The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is said to be nearly twice the national average due to the high rate of intravenous drug use. Subjects of the study were aged 20 to 79 years and over 93% of them cited they had never injected drugs. About 2.4% of patients with NHL showed hepatitis C seropositivity.

The article reports on the results of a study stating that coinfection with hepatitis C and HIV may be linked with an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Such cofactors as age, body mass index and nutrition affect the risk for diabetes according to Rainer Weber of the University Hospital Zurich in Germany. Researchers also observed that diabetes event rates in participants with hepatitis C were 5.55 and 4.9 among patients who were hepatitis C seronegative.

The article focuses on a French study which found that hepatitis E infection may lead to chronic hepatitis in immunocompromised patients receiving solid organ transplants. The researchers noted the potential of a hepatitis E recombinant protein vaccine to prevent such progress. All recipients showed a 13.5% prevalence of hepatitis E antibodies. The symptoms of chronic hepatitis are high liver-enzyme levels and detectable hepatitis E RNA in blood and stool.

The article looks at the guidelines issued by the Working Group on Antiretroviral Therapy and Medical Management of HIV-Infected Children which focused on earlier recognition and treatment of HIV in infants and children. The guide noted the possibility that HIV infection in children born to HIV-positive women can be excluded as early as one month of age. The age bands for treatment initiation was also included in the guidelines. Another feature of the guideline is dosing schedules.

The article focuses on a study which found that protease inhibitor atazanavir sulfate with ritonavir was better tolerated and associated with lower lipid level increases from baseline, as presented at the 15th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in 2008 held in Boston, Massachusetts. Such regimen was tested against twice-daily lopinavir and ritonavir. Grade-2 to -4 adverse events related to treatment were experienced by 26% and 30% of patients in atazanavir and lopinavir, respectively.

The article reports on the potential of an expanded routine HIV testing in emergency departments (ED) to improve HIV diagnosis rates, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and John Hopkins University researcher. The main impediments to expanding testing programs is inadequate staffing and resource. Researchers noted that such programs is cost effective than delayed diagnosis. The number of patients who undergone HIV testing in ED in several U.S. cities are cited.

The article reports that serosorting was able to decrease HIV and was found to be a more common practice than seropositioning, based on data from a study of seroadaptive behavior among men who have sex with men (MSM). It was discovered that seropositioning was not linked with an increased or a decreased likelihood of HIV infection. Also presented are the definition of seropositioning and serosorting. Seropositioning does not have adverse effect on risk for HIV seroconversion, according to researchers.

The article reports on a safety review of the potential for increased risk of myocardial infarction associated with HIV drugs, abacavir and didanosine, being conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A multisite study found that myocardial infarction risk raised by 49% in patients taking didanosine and 90% in patients prescribed with abacavir. It was also noted that the risk did not increase over time. FDA officials noted that the review may lead to revised product labeling.

The article deals with a new cell adhesion molecule, called integrin alpha-4 beta-7, identified by researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) as a vital receptor for HIV. The cell adhesion molecule was considered a target of the HIV virus when it attacks the body's immune system. According to NIAID director Anthony S. Fauci, the identification of the molecule provides opportunities for investigating the complex mechanisms of the pathogenesis of HIV infection.

The article discusses research being done on the increased mortality rate linked to chikungunya epidemic in Ahmedabad, India. It references a study by D. Mavalankar and colleagues that was published in a 2008 issue of the journal "Emerging Infectious Diseases." The purpose of the study is to examine mortality linked to the epidemic and see if the virus has increased virulence.

The article discusses research being done on the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in Geneva, Switzerland. It references a study by P. Francois and colleagues that was published in a 2008 issue of the journal "Emerging Infectious Diseases." The researchers found that increased incidence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-producing type-4 CA-MRSA isolates could indicate the emergence of more virulent strains in the country.

The article discusses research being done on costs of Clostridium difficile-associated disease in nonsurgical patients. It references a study by E. R. Dubberke and colleagues that was published in a 2008 issue of the journal "Clinical Infectious Diseases." The researchers found that Clostridium difficile-associated disease was linked to both increased patient care costs and increased costs 180 days after initial hospitalization.

The article discusses research being done on the association of male circumcision with the risk for HIV acquisition in women. It references to studies that were presented at the 15th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston, Massachusetts from February 3-6, 2008. Condum use, bacterial vaginosis, vaginal discharge, dysuria and genitourinary disease rates were comparable among women in both studies.

The article deals with a study on the effectiveness of CCR5-antagonist vicriviroc. Administered with ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors, CCR5-antagonist vicriviroc offered sustained viral suppression and increased CD4 counts at 48 weeks in treatment-experienced HIV patients. According to Barry S. Zingman, medical director of the AIDS Center, vicriviroc has strong potential as a treatment options for HIV patients.

This article reports on the high incidence of HIV among African-American men. According to data released by the University of Virginia, HIV diagnoses rates have soared among African Americans in comparison with other racial and ethnic groups. The figures have led to increased concerns among public health officials regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The article discusses research being done on norovirus variants on spring cruise ships and prediction of winter epidemics. It references a study by L. Verhoef and colleagues that was published in a 2008 issue of the journal "Emerging Infectious Diseases." The researchers discovered that epidemic norovirus winters could be predicted through gene variant emergence surveillance and an active early warning system of norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships.

The article discusses research being done on the role of vitamin D supplementation in tuberculosis (TB) prevention. It references a study by Katherine B. Gibney and colleagues that was published in a 2008 issue of the journal "Clinical Infectious Diseases." After examining African immigrants to Australia, the researchers discovered that lower vitamin D levels were linked to greater risk of TB. They recommended that adequate vitamin D levels may give protection against primary TB infection.

The article discusses research being done on emerging infectious diseases. It references a study by Marc A. Levy and colleagues that was published in a 2008 issue of the journal "Nature." The researchers discovered that emerging diseases have almost quadrupled in the past 50 years. They identified more than 335 diseases and suggested that proactive action should be taken to lessen morbidity and mortality from emerging infectious diseases (EID).

The article deals with the endorsement of vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) as an effective strategy for cervical cancer prevention. The ECDC released the report, "ECDC Guidance for the Introduction of HPV Vaccines in EU Countries." According to ECDC chief scientist Johan Giesecke, vaccination of young adolescent girls against HPV is likely to lessen the number of women who develop cervical cancer.

The article reports that public health officials in Washington D.C. have launched programs to decrease the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the city following a report that it has the highest HIV/AIDS rate in the U.S. Findings of the report released by Washington D.C. Department of Health, included trends of racial disparity in HIV/AIDS, a growing trend in women affected by HIV/AIDS and a greater population of infants born with HIV than in most U.S. regions.

The article discusses findings of a study on the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on the lungs. The research revealed that HAART was associated with significant decreases in pulmonary HIV burden. According to Homer L. Twigg III, associate professor of medicine and chief of the division of pulmonary, allergy, critical care and occupational medicine at the Indiana University Medical Center, their initial hypothesis was that lung might be protected from HIV, but has been suggested to respond well to HAART.

This article discusses findings of a study, which examined the effects of antiretroviral therapy and cocaine use in blacks with HIV. According to researcher Shenghan Lai, forty-two percent of people who used cocaine longer than 15 years and received antiretroviral therapy for longer than six months had significant coronary stenosis with no symptoms. Several criteria that were not used in the study included evidence of hypertension or ischemic heart disease, any cardiovascular disease symptoms and pregnancy.

This article discusses findings of a study published in "The Journal of Infectious Diseases," which revealed that patients with HIV who were co-administered tenofovir disoproxil should be monitored regularly for decreases in renal function. A comparison of renal outcomes in patients treated with tenofovir and a protease inhibitor boosted with ritonavir is discussed. According to Miguel Goicoechea, clinical instructor at the University of California, San Diego, one concern is whether the decline is short-term or progressive.

The article discusses findings of a study, which revealed the limited coverage of methampetamine programs that are aimed at decreasing HIV risk. The use of methampetamine has been linked with the increased risk in the transmission of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) because of its effect on the inhibitions and sexual drive of the users. Other club drugs that are not covered by the programs include cocaine, ecstasy and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid.

The article focuses on a strategy which has the potential to reduce HIV test discordance wait time. Under this protocol, follow-up after rapid HIV tests is being consolidated into fewer visits, and this in turn, increase the number of patients who return to get results. During the 2007 National HIV Prevention Conference that was held in Atlanta, Georgia, Eugene G. Martin, a laboratory director at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and his colleagues, presented data regarding HIV testing strategies.