Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/04/news-scan-apr-07-2014
News Scan for Apr 07, 2014
Chikungunya cases near 20,000; Bexsero on US fast track
Filed Under:
Chikungunya; Meningitis
Chikungunya cases in the Caribbean approach 20,000
Cases of chikungunya in the Caribbean have reached 19,682, according to data today from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), up from 18,493 cases a week ago.
Martinique continues to report the largest numbers, with 11,400 suspected and 1,284 confirmed or probable cases, the ECDC said. The French side of St. Martin is next, with 2,840 suspected and 790 confirmed or probable cases. Guadeloupe rounds out the top three with 2,737 suspected and 802 confirmed or probable cases.
Also reporting cases are St. Barthelemy, 432 suspected and 135 confirmed or probable cases; Dominica, 487 suspected and 72 confirmed cases; the Dutch side of St. Martin, 224 confirmed cases; French Guiana, 25 confirmed locally acquired and 11 imported cases; Anguilla, 14 confirmed cases; British Virgin Islands, 7 confirmed cases; and Aruba and St. Kitts/Nevis, each with 1 confirmed case. Those numbers have changed little since the ECDC's previous update a week ago.
The chikungunya outbreak is the first known in the Americas and began in December 2013 on the French side of St. Martin.
Apr 7 ECDC update
In related news, the Global Virus Network (GVN) today announced the formation of a 16-member global task force of virologists to address the mosquito-borne disease. The announcement coincides with World Health Day, whose theme this year is vector-borne diseases, according to a GVN press release.
"Being able to quickly bring together the most knowledgeable researchers without regards to borders and political agendas to address viral threats such as chikungunya is paramount," said Global Virus Network co-founder and scientific director Robert Gallo, MD.
The GVN Chikungunya Task Force comprises virologists from nine countries, the GVI said. It will be headed by Scott Weaver, PhD, of the University of Texas Medical Branch, John K. Fazakerley, PhD, at the UK's Pirbright Institute, and Marc Lecuit, MD, PhD, at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. All members are affiliated with GVN Centers of Excellence.
Apr 7 GVN press release
FDA fast-tracks group B meningococcal vaccine Bexsero
Swiss-based Novartis said today that its group B meningococcal vaccine, Bexsero, has received a Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means the agency will expedite its review, according to a company news release.
The FDA recently approved the vaccine under an Investigational New Drug designation to address meningitis outbreaks at Princeton University and the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) caused by serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis. Current FDA-approved vaccines cover only serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135.
Bexsero is already approved for use in Europe, Canada, and Australia.
In the past 4 months, Novartis has provided nearly 30,000 doses of Bexsero to students and staff at Princeton and UCSB, Novartis said.
Apr 7 Novartis news release
News Scan for Apr 07, 2014
Chikungunya cases near 20,000; Bexsero on US fast track
Filed Under:
Chikungunya; Meningitis
Chikungunya cases in the Caribbean approach 20,000
Cases of chikungunya in the Caribbean have reached 19,682, according to data today from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), up from 18,493 cases a week ago.
Martinique continues to report the largest numbers, with 11,400 suspected and 1,284 confirmed or probable cases, the ECDC said. The French side of St. Martin is next, with 2,840 suspected and 790 confirmed or probable cases. Guadeloupe rounds out the top three with 2,737 suspected and 802 confirmed or probable cases.
Also reporting cases are St. Barthelemy, 432 suspected and 135 confirmed or probable cases; Dominica, 487 suspected and 72 confirmed cases; the Dutch side of St. Martin, 224 confirmed cases; French Guiana, 25 confirmed locally acquired and 11 imported cases; Anguilla, 14 confirmed cases; British Virgin Islands, 7 confirmed cases; and Aruba and St. Kitts/Nevis, each with 1 confirmed case. Those numbers have changed little since the ECDC's previous update a week ago.
The chikungunya outbreak is the first known in the Americas and began in December 2013 on the French side of St. Martin.
Apr 7 ECDC update
In related news, the Global Virus Network (GVN) today announced the formation of a 16-member global task force of virologists to address the mosquito-borne disease. The announcement coincides with World Health Day, whose theme this year is vector-borne diseases, according to a GVN press release.
"Being able to quickly bring together the most knowledgeable researchers without regards to borders and political agendas to address viral threats such as chikungunya is paramount," said Global Virus Network co-founder and scientific director Robert Gallo, MD.
The GVN Chikungunya Task Force comprises virologists from nine countries, the GVI said. It will be headed by Scott Weaver, PhD, of the University of Texas Medical Branch, John K. Fazakerley, PhD, at the UK's Pirbright Institute, and Marc Lecuit, MD, PhD, at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. All members are affiliated with GVN Centers of Excellence.
Apr 7 GVN press release
FDA fast-tracks group B meningococcal vaccine Bexsero
Swiss-based Novartis said today that its group B meningococcal vaccine, Bexsero, has received a Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means the agency will expedite its review, according to a company news release.
The FDA recently approved the vaccine under an Investigational New Drug designation to address meningitis outbreaks at Princeton University and the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) caused by serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis. Current FDA-approved vaccines cover only serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135.
Bexsero is already approved for use in Europe, Canada, and Australia.
In the past 4 months, Novartis has provided nearly 30,000 doses of Bexsero to students and staff at Princeton and UCSB, Novartis said.
Apr 7 Novartis news release