Vital Technologies, Inc.

Researchers at the University of Iowa today announced a major study to track public perception of the swine flu outbreak and other infectious diseases, utilizing a unique, realtime index of the social web from OneRiot. The project, Social Web Information Monitoring for Health, dubbed "SWIM for Health," has the potential to enhance disease tracking and forecasting by harnessing the power of the social web.

A new study carried out in France analyses the mortality rates in about 75% of the European population during the 1918-1919 flu pandemic (Spanish Flu). The study concludes that the virus probably did not originate in Europe. You can find this study in the academic journal called Influenza and Other Respiratory Diseases, May issue.

Health officials have alerted all healthcare providers to be prepared to treat all suspected cases of swine flu, educate the public and report confirmed cases to their state health departments. On Wednesday, April 29, 2009, the first confirmed death in the United States was reported from a 23-month-old toddler in TX. Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (PNPs) are on the front lines of defense when identifying patients with swine flu.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) report on a novel approach to the delivery of small bits of genetic material in order to silence genes using "RNA interference" - and in the process, discovered a potent method of suppressing inflammation in mice similar to what occurs in a range of human diseases. In the April 30, 2009 issue of the journal Nature, Professor Michael P.

Differing biological response to infection between men and women may explain higher death rates among older men who are hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The findings, published online in the Critical Care Medicine journal, may have important implications for understanding sex differences in life expectancy.

National pandemic preparedness plans are being activated in Latin American and Caribbean states to combat the spread of swine flu, says PAHO (Pan American Health Organization). Disease surveillance throughout the continent has been stepped up for possible outbreaks of A/H1N1 swine influenza. Some countries are currently checking out a small number of potential cases of swine flu.

LacPro Industries LLC, a probiotic-based biotherapeutics company, announces today a publication in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, GutPathogens, entitled, " Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus B-30892 can inhibit cytotoxic effects and adhesion of pathogenic Clostridium difficile to Caco-2 cells.

A new study by University of Maryland researchers suggests that the potential for an avian influenza virus to cause a human flu pandemic is greater than previously thought. Results also illustrate how the current swine flu outbreak likely came about. As of now, avian flu viruses can infect humans who have contact with birds, but these viruses tend not to transmit easily between humans.

Christian Nordqvist, Editor and CEO of Medical News Today, lives in Cancun, Mexico for 70% of the year, and in Manchester, England for the other 30%. His blog is about the local impact of the Swine Flu in Mexico. April 30th Pig farmers in Mexico are suffering from a significant drop in pork meat and pork products sales. Swine flu, which in Mexico is called Fiebre Porcina (pig fever), is thought by many to mean that anything to do with pigs and pork is dangerous.

In an effort to provide technology to reduce healthcare-associated infections, Germgard Lighting LLC, a New Jersey-based early-phase medical device company, has demonstrated its patented ultra-fast (~1 second) hand hygiene solution. The solution is designed to protect hospital patients and medical professionals from exposure to dangerous, life-threatening pathogens in healthcare facilities. It enables effective, frequent and instantaneous hygiene practice at the immediate point of care.

Researchers from Durham University's Centre for Bioactive Chemistry are developing methods that show how proteins interact with cell membranes when a virus strikes. Using their approach, the team hopes to find new ways to disrupt and disarm 'enveloped viruses' before they spread in our bodies.

Below is a statement by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan regarding the raising of the influenza pandemic alert from Phase 4 to Phase 5, as a result of the current swine flu outbreak that originated in Mexico City. Ladies and gentlemen, Based on assessment of all available information, and following several expert consultations, I have decided to raise the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5.

A 23-month old Mexican toddler who was taken by his parents into the USA for treatment has died in Texas of swine flu, according to authorities. In an interview with CNN, Kathy Barton, of the Houston Dept. of Health said "The child came to Houston for medical treatment. The family had traveled to South Texas. The child became ill and they transported the child to Houston for medical care." There is currently no information as to what part of Mexico the toddler was from.

The UK government is to start distributing a leaflet on swine flu to all UK households sometime next week, according to the Department of Health. The Department of Health has produced a leaflet which provides information on swine flu.

Integrated Environmental Technologies, Ltd. (OTCBB: IEVM) and Benchmark Research & Technology (BRT) announced that the U.S. EPA has approved EcaFlo® Anolyte (trademarked Excelyte®), as a registered and effective biocide against MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus), one of the most prolific and feared bacterial infections facing the public today.

Three new cases have been confirmed of humans being infected with swine flu in the United Kingdom. This brings the total to five, according to Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The new cases include a 12-year-old girl from Torbay, an adult from Birmingham, and another adult from London. All three new cases are said to have mild symptoms and are responding well to treatment.

Bacteria that normally reside on the skin of healthy people can cause serious infections in premature babies. A group of researchers at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet have now found an explanation for why a certain kind of staphylococcus can attach itself to the skin and quickly develop dynamic ecosystems: the bacteria are like tufted, self-adhesive hairballs. Staphylococcus establishes itself on the child's skin and mucous membranes directly after birth.

Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is set to pilot an innovative penicillin allergy skin test to improve patient safety and help ensure that further reductions in healthcare associated infections are achieved. Patients with suspected penicillin allergy are typically treated with alternative antibiotics. However, research shows that penicillin allergies are over-reported by patients, often because certain experiences are easily mistaken for true allergy.

The Office International des Epizooties (OIE), the global organization that manages the fight against animal diseases globally, has said that the term North American Flu would be more accurate than Swine Flu.

As news of the swine flu situation develops, it is important for those with asthma or other respiratory conditions to be aware of the basic facts about influenza and how it is spread, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. "The typical influenza vaccine does not provide immunity to swine flu," said Executive Vice President Thomas B. Casale, MD, FAAAAI. "As with other influenza viruses, this virus typically attacks the respiratory tract.