In The News

World's Drinking Glass: More Than Half Full

G. Jeffery Macdonald February 8, 2005
Easy access to clean drinking water, along with hygiene system improvements, has been instrumental in enabling those afflicted by poverty to save time and money, as well as helping them avoid infectious diseases. However, some countries – particularly urban regions of South Asia – are falling behind, constrained by budget considerations and political pressures. As a result of difficulties with...

Preparing for a New Global Threat – Part II

Thomas Abraham January 28, 2005
Almost as quickly as scientists upgrade vaccinations, communicable viruses are adapting – by genetic mutation – to break through vaccine barriers and transmit faster. Thomas Abraham warns against a "biological tsunami" that is "brewing deep within the microbial world": avian influenza virus, or H5N1. Bird-to-human transmission was once believed impossible, but recently...

Preparing for a New Global Threat – Part I

David Heymann January 26, 2005
From the historic Spanish Flu to the recent SARS outbreak, communicable diseases have periodically challenged the world community. SARS was caused by a new strain of coronvirus that was identified and stopped. But the latest threat comes from avian influenza virus of the type that could mutate and pass on to humans. Due to their genetic instability and swift multiplication, influenza viruses are...

Driven by Costs, Fertility Clients Head Overseas

Felicia R. Lee January 25, 2005
Most Americans seeking fertility treatment stay close to home. Yet for many, the procedure is unaffordable in the United States. A single in vitro treatment can cost over US$10,000, and insurance rarely covers the procedure. Despite concerns about quality and safety, middle-class couples are increasingly heading overseas. "For the price of one I.V.F. cycle in the U.S.A. the patient can come...

Battling AIDS in India

Joydeep Sengupta January 21, 2005
India is on the brink of a public health crisis. About 4.6 million of its billion citizens are HIV-positive, and that number could explode by the decade's end. India's public health infrastructure is already overburdened with a burgeoning impoverished population, making widespread prevention efforts difficult. And although high-risk groups like sex workers may be aware of HIV's...

AIDS: Facing the Second Wave

Pramit Mitra January 20, 2005
As AIDS starts to spread into "second-wave" countries, governments and health organizations alike are struggling to find the most effective ways to cope with the pandemic. Pramit Mitra examines India's challenges in confronting the disease, noting lessons other countries can garner from India's experience. With the second largest infected population in the world – at 4.58...

Evolution of Bird Flu Virus May Favor Pandemic – WHO

Stephanie Nebehay January 20, 2005
The avian influenza may not just be for the birds. With the Asian death toll at 38, health officials are concerned that the virus may evolve to a more fatal – and contagious form. Though the current risk of human-to-human transmission is negligible, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the virus could mutate. Alarmed by the high risk factors for rural families, WHO officials stressed...