Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiological agent of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS). Both KSHV and HIV infections are endemic in Uganda, where KS is among the most common cancers in HIV-infected individuals. Recent studies examined the use of small RNAs as biomarkers of disease, including microRNAs (miRNAs), with viral and tumor-derived miRNAs being detected in exosomes from individuals with … [Read more...]
Correlates of Inappropriate Prescribing of Antibiotics to Patients with Malaria in Uganda
In many rural areas of Uganda, febrile patients presenting to health facilities are prescribed both antimalarials and antibiotics, contributing to the overuse of antibiotics. We identified the prevalence and correlates of inappropriate antibiotic management of patients with confirmed malaria. Methods We utilized individual outpatient data from 36 health centers from January to September … [Read more...]
Malaria Nearly Eliminated in Sri Lanka Despite Decades of Conflict
UCSF, Sri Lankan Researchers Credit Adaptability of Malaria Control Program Despite nearly three decades of conflict, Sri Lanka has succeeded in reducing malaria cases by 99.9% since 1999 and is on track to eliminate the disease entirely by 2014. According to a paper published today in the online, open-access journal PLOS ONE, researchers from Sri Lanka’s Anti-Malaria Campaign and the UCSF … [Read more...]
Naturally Drug-Resistant Cave Bacteria Possible Key to New Antibiotics
New research findings suggest the key to finding a whole new variety of antibiotics to treat drug-resistant infections may lie with the resident bacteria in one of the most isolated caves in the world. The U.S. scientists who conducted the study say bacteria collected from Lechuguilla Cave in the state of New Mexico appear to possess an innate resistance to antibiotics, despite never having … [Read more...]