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News you need to know  Top
A stimulant stalks multiple sclerosis
They don't want you to go gaga over java, but researchers at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine say caffeine may one day offer a way to prevent the debilitating symptoms of multiple sclerosis. In the Cornell study, the researchers were able to delay the onset of an MS-like disease in mice by giving them caffeinated water in doses equivalent to a person drinking six to eight cups of coffee a day. When the mice did contract the disease, the symptoms exhibited by the caffeine-treated mice were less severe than those in the untreated mice. Although caffeine won't provide a cure for MS, it could lead to new ways of protecting against relapses, the researchers said. For more information, contact Sabina Lee at 607-255-3024 or SSL37@cornell.edu.
The hunt for a bird flu vaccine
Researchers are developing a new vaccine that may give long-lasting protection against the deadly bird flu virus and its evolving forms. Led by Dr. Suresh Mittal from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, the research has so far generated a vaccine that protects mice against highly pathogenic avian influenza for a year or longer. And, unlike traditional influenza viruses that are made from eggs and can take months to produce, this new vaccine can be made quickly and stored for long periods in advance of a potential H5N1 pandemic. For more information, contact Kevin Doerr at 765-494-8216 or doerrkr@purdue.edu.
A cautionary finding
A surprise finding by researchers at the Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University reveals that some drugs being considered as treatment for HIV patients may actually increase the virus' ability to replicate. Dr. Gregg Dean, a professor of immunopathology, says the discovery sheds new light on how the human immune system responds to HIV and how HIV infected patients are treated. Dean's findings indicate that stimulating the immune system with experimental compounds to help fight off infections in HIV patients may accidentally increase the amount of virus in an infected person. For more information, contact David Green at 919-513-6662 or david_green@ncsu.edu.
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Exterminating E. coli
Keeping iron away from disease-causing bacteria like E. coli 0157:H7 is like depriving a human of oxygen, and doing so could go a long way toward preventing E. coli from ever getting into ground beef, according to a researcher at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Dan Thomson, an associate professor of clinical sciences, is studying the effects of a new vaccine technology that prevents the bacterium from consuming iron, which suffocates the E. coli and stops it from growing or replicating. Each of the studies, according to Thomson, has shown positive results, with the vaccine helping decrease not only the number of cattle shedding the bacteria but also the concentration of the bacteria being shed. For more information, contact Patrice Scott at 785-532-4046 or pscott@vet.k-state.edu.
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A sampling of interesting upcoming events and pet-related campaigns ...
National Dog Bite Prevention Week, May 18, 2008 - May 24, 2008: The American Veterinary Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Kennel Club and the U.S. Postal Service team their efforts to educate the public and help reduce the 4.7 million dog bites and 800,000 visits to doctors and emergency rooms that occur each year. For more information, visit www.avma.org or www.cdc.gov.
American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention, July 19, 2008 - July 22, 2008: Thousands of veterinary leaders in food safety, public health, comparative medicine, research and companion animal medicine will attend the AVMA's 145th annual convention in New Orleans, La. Some of the timely topics include protecting the public against emerging and zoonotic diseases, safeguarding our nation's food supply and providing the best possible care for pets of all sizes and types. For more on the convention and its roster of speakers, go to http://avmaconvention.org.
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