Chlamydia Trachomatis-Chlamydial Infection-Bacterial Infection-Chlamydia Vaccine

Genetic tweaking could create chlamydia vaccine

Sexually transmitted chlamydial infection is silent but insidious--there can be just a few mild symptoms but the damage is irreversible, leaving some women infertile or with long-term pain. There is currently no vaccine, but an Indiana University researcher has been given $2.3 million to try to create one.The award, from the National Institutes of Health, will support David E. Nelson and his team to genetically modify variants of Chlamydia trachomatis, which is also the leading cause of infectious blindness (trachoma) worldwide. This tweaking of the genome will help researchers understand why the bacteria is specific to certain tissues and hosts, and how it manages to hide from the immune system. This knowledge, it is hoped, will lead to a vaccine."In the long term we hope our work provides clues toward designing a vaccine and developing strong models of human chlamydial disease," Nelson said. "But most immediately we're looking to identify and characterize the factors that allow this pathogen to grow, how it interacts with other bacteria and how it avoids host immune systems so well."Chlamydia is the most commonly reported bacterial infection in the United States, with more than 1.3 million people infected in 2010. The infection can be treated easily with antibiotics. However, either because the infection can be silent, or because it's sexually transmitted, not everyone comes forward for treatment. Until a vaccine is available, abstaining from sex or using condoms is the only surefire way to be safe.- read the press releaseRelated Articles:
TX institutions partner with Merck on chlamydia vax
New chlamydia vaccine being tested read more..

source:http://www.fiercevaccines.com

Archives Of Internal Medicine-Sexually Active Young Women-Health Care Professionals

Not Enough Young Women Getting Tested for Chlamydia: CDC

TUESDAY, March 13 -- Far too few sexually active young women are getting tested for chlamydia, an oversight that could lead them down a perilous path to severe health consequences, including infertility, later in life.A new survey from the U.S.... read more..

source:http://drugs.com

Bad News for Red Meat Lovers

Results from studies following more than 120,000 health care professionals link red meat consumption to higher mortality, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In a paper published in Archives of Internal Medicine, An Pan and colleagues report findings from observations over 22 years of 37,698 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and over 28 years of 83,644 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News) read more..

source:http://www.medworm.com