• Extreme weather events may unleash perfect storm of infectious disease

    Climatic conditions can alter normal host-pathogen relationships; diseases that are tolerated individually may converge and cause mass die-offs of livestock or wildlife

  • Worries about CDC pathogen handling

    In a new $214 million infectious disease laboratory at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, scientists are conducting experiments on bioterror bacteria in a room with a containment door sealed with duct tape

  • Environmental report on new Biolab

    Following a GAO report which criticized how DHS decided on how research into contagious foreign animal and zoonotic diseases should be conducted, the Science and Technology Directorate of DHS issues a draft environmental impact statement and risk analysis for the six locations being considered for the new Biolab

  • Genetically modified mosquitoes to fight malaria

    Malaria kills three million people around the arodl each year; current methods of combatting the disease do not work; scientists examine the potential of genetically modifies mosquitoes for stopping the killer disease

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  • CDC counts 383 salmonella cases from tomatoes

    The toll of the U.S. salmonella outbreak continues to rise; tomatoes from sections of Mexico and Florida remain the main suspects as the source of the outbreak

  • Investing in biodefense companies, II

    Billions of dollars are being spent on finding vaccines and treatments for possible bioterror attacks; investment analyst says that these billions of dollars in government spending notwithstanding, when considering an investment in a company doing R&D in the bioterror field, you should consider its non-terror-related biotechnology efforts, and the quality of its management team

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  • Universal biosensor would detect disease, bioterror attack, pollution

    A consortium of U.K. research institutions, in collaboration with a Chinese University, work on developing a universal biosensor which would help in many types of detection — from home diagnosis of disease to chemical plant monitoring, anti-bioterrorism, and pandemic outbreak

  • Why it takes so long to trace a bad tomato

    Tomatoes do not carry bar codes, so it is difficult to trace the source of the recent tomato-borne salmonella outbreak; tomatoes coming from Mexico and parts of Florida are prime suspects

  • New bird flu vaccine looks promising

    Baxter’s cell-based vaccine appears to work better than more traditional egg-based ones; tests show promise at low doses

  • Making U.S. food safe, I: FDA not moving fast enough

    The recent outbreak of tomatoe-borne salmonella poisoning moved legislators to charge that the FDA has not made good on its promise last year to make food safer for U.S. consumers

  • Background: More on tomato-borne salmonella

    Recent census of produce outbreaks between 1996 and 2007 counted no fewer than 33 epidemics from Salmonella-contaminated fruits and vegetables; in five of them, tomatoes were the culprit

  • FDA warns of tomatoe-bornes almonellosis

    The Food and Drug Administration warns U.S consumers, restaurants of salmonella poisioning causes by three types oftomatoes; 145 cases reported, with 23 requiring hospitalization

  • Tom Daschle calls for greater U.S.-U.K. bioterror cooperation

    Daschle: “The threat of bioterrorism will increase exponentially because biological agents used to carry out such attacks will continue to become more accessible and more technologically advanced”

  • Investing in biodefense companies

    Billions of dollars are pouring into biodefense vaccines and treatments; do companies engaged in developing such vaccines and treatment offer attractive investment opportunities? The answer is a qualified “Yes” to this specific question — but a more resounding “Yes” when these companies’ other research and development endeavors are taken into consideration

  • Tyson destroys 15,000 chicken infected with H7N3

    Arkansas poultry giant destroys 15,000 hens after routine tests discover antibodies to H7N3, a mild strain of avian flu; company says there is no threat to humans