Infectious Disease

HOUSTON -- After a plaque of scary headlines, the news of a potential pandemic avian flu has dropped off the front pages. But virologists believe the threat is waiting in the wings.

ST. LOUIS -- Bacteria in the gut may be arbiters of weight loss or gain, according to a revolutionary theory proposed by researchers here. They suggested that manipulation of intestinal microbes might be used one day to treat obesity.

KINGSTON, Ontario, Dec. 20 -- For critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation, bronchoalveolar lavage and endotracheal aspiration appear to be equally effective when diagnosing pneumonia, said researchers here.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- There may be a causal connection between excess allogeneic transfusions for women during coronary bypass surgery and their higher risk of death after the procedure.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- HIV-infected patients having surgery were more likely to develop post-op pneumonia or to die within 12 months than matched non-infected patients, researchers here reported.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- HIV-infected patients having surgery were more likely to develop post-op pneumonia or to die within 12 months than matched non-infected patients, researchers here reported.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Two patients treated with the immune modulator Rituxan (rituximab) for systemic lupus erythmatosus have died of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), the FDA warned physicians.

SYDNEY, Australia -- Kidney transplantation is associated with a significant increase in risk of cancer, including a tripling of the risk for cancer at 18 sites, researchers here reported.

SAN ANTONIO -- Evidence is mounting that the so-called human mammary tumor virus (HMTV) can actually causes breast cancer, a New York researcher said.

SAN ANTONIO -- Evidence is mounting that the so-called human mammary tumor virus (HMTV) can actually causes breast cancer, a New York researcher said.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Acting with uncommon speed, the FDA today approved Celebrex for the pain of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis-less than a month after an advisory committee recommended that it do so.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Acting with uncommon speed, the FDA today approved Celebrex for the pain of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis-less than a month after an advisory committee recommended that it do so.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Two FDA advisory committees agreed today that the antibiotic Ketek (telithromycin) should be limited to second-line therapy for community-acquired pneumonia, and that the drug should have black box warning added to its label.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Two FDA advisory committees agreed today that the antibiotic Ketek (telithromycin) should be limited to second-line therapy for community-acquired pneumonia, and that the drug should have black box warning added to its label.

GENEVA, Switzerland -- Rhinoviruses appeared to reach out beyond the upper respiratory tract to cause progressive respiratory and graft dysfunction that killed two of 11 lung transplant recipients, reported researchers here.

GENEVA, Switzerland -- Rhinoviruses appeared to reach out beyond the upper respiratory tract to cause progressive respiratory and graft dysfunction that killed two of 11 lung transplant recipients, reported researchers here.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Discarding green onions as a red herring, the FDA and the CDC have focused on shredded lettuce as the probable source of an outbreak of E. coli infections traced to Taco Bell restaurants in the northeast.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Discarding green onions as a red herring, the FDA and the CDC have focused on shredded lettuce as the probable source of an outbreak of E. coli infections traced to Taco Bell restaurants in the northeast.

BETHESDA, Md. -- Two U.S.-led trials of men in sub-Saharan Africa were halted early when interim analyses of results confirmed that circumcision can significantly reduce heterosexual transmission of HIV.

BETHESDA, Md. -- Two U.S.-led trials of men in sub-Saharan Africa were halted early when interim analyses of results confirmed that circumcision can significantly reduce heterosexual transmission of HIV.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For seasonal flu strains that were slightly different than predicted, the traditional killed-virus vaccine in 2004-2005 was about 75% effective, while a live attenuated-virus nasal spray was less effective, researchers reported.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For seasonal flu strains that were slightly different than predicted, the traditional killed-virus vaccine in 2004-2005 was about 75% effective, while a live attenuated-virus nasal spray was less effective, researchers reported.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Frozen oysters on the half shell, imported from South Korea and distributed to five states, have been linked by the FDA and CDC to a small outbreak of norovirus in Oregon.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Frozen oysters on the half shell, imported from South Korea and distributed to five states, have been linked by the FDA and CDC to a small outbreak of norovirus in Oregon.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Frozen oysters on the half shell, imported from South Korea and distributed to five states, have been linked by the FDA and CDC to a small outbreak of norovirus in Oregon.