Vaccinating Against Rotavirus
Canada should show leadership in supporting adoption of the rotavirus vaccination in developing countries, but it must also ensure that all Canadian infants are vaccinated against the virus, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Rotavirus is the most common cause worldwide of severe diarrhea in babies and young children, resulting in more than 450 000 deaths every year. Most of these deaths are in the developing world. While Canada supports the provision of the rotavirus vaccine to developing countries through funding of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), the vaccine is publicly covered in only four Canadian provinces - British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.
Predicting Malaria Outbreaks In India Using Climate Model
Scientists from the University of Liverpool are working with computer modelling specialists in India to predict areas of the country that are at most risk of malaria outbreaks, following changes in monsoon rainfall. The number of heavy rainfall events in India has increased over the past 50 years, but research has tended to focus on the impact this has on agriculture rather than the vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and Japanese Encephalitis. The University's School of Environmental Sciences is working with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research's (CSIR) Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation (C-MMACS), Bangalore, to develop technology that will help decision makers and planners target areas that are prone to large scale climate variability and malaria epidemics.
New Method For Direct Identification Of Antigens
The immune system is a vital part of our defenses against pathogens, but it can also attack host tissues, resulting in autoimmune disease. The antigens that induce destructive immune reactions can now be identified directly - without any prior knowledge of their possible structure. Molecules that activate immune responses, generically termed antigens, are recognized by circulating immune cells. In the case of autoimmune reactions, such responses may lead to the destruction of body tissues. A new method that can identify the antigens that initiate such reactions may help to prevent misdirected attacks in the future.