Survector

Anti-depressants are outside of my purview, but I enjoyed Jeff Percifield's history of Survector. Get your own Survector from amineptine.com.

Mad Cow #2

Everybody reports on the discovery of a second mad cow in the US. The origin of the cow and the circumstances of its death have not been revealed. Here's the New York Times article.

Mystery Disease in China

The in China is, of course, redundant. Although India has a good number of mystery diseases, it's the ones from China that tend to, say, wipe out Europe. This week's mysterious respiratory disease has infected 28 at a children's hospital. Health authorities have ruled out SARS, Influenza A, and Influenza B. Read all about it at Reuters.

HPV Vaccine

MedBroadcast reports on the new vaccine against human papilloma virus, the STD responsible for most cases of cervical cancer.

Inevitable and Overdue

Medbroadcast reports on a two-day conference on infectious diseases at which the flu was the starring disease. An influenza pandemic is "inevitable and overdue."

Based on the experience of the three pandemics of the 20th century, a third or more of the globe's population would be expected to fall ill. A pandemic, even one caused by a mild strain, would be expected to kill millions, experts warn.
The spectre of a pandemic with the extraordinarily virulent H5N1 strain is making for sleepless nights in the community of influenza researchers.

Feeling No Pain

Medbroadcast reports on a young girl with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA), a genetic defect.

SARS Civets

Via Medbroadcast: China bans civets. This relative of the mongoose is being blamed for SARS. If you find yourself in China, you may neither kill nor eat a civet.

Plague in Qinghai

China Daily reports that a plague outbreak in northwest China is now under control. Out of 19 cases, eight people died. Wild marmots may have been responsible.