vaccine Archives - Capital Berg

Worst Measles Outbreak “a warning call” For Unvaccinated

February 2, 2015 By Denise Ehrlich

The measles epidemic, which started from Disneyland, intensified the concern of health authorities. It appears as if the park has turned into a house of measles. Thus far, numerous measles cases have been reported from different parts of the United States such as California and Arizona.

In 2000, United States was officially declared as measles Free states. However, it seems like the disease has re-entered the country in 2014. As per the report of Center of Disease Control and Prevention, around 68 cases tuned up from 27 different states. Even though, the disease has not killed anyone but there are chances of deaths in the future.

Health organizations believe that anti-vaccination movement against measles are the root cause of all this. A few years ago, a doctor discovered a strong connection between measles vaccines and autism. The report was printed in British Medical Journal.

Although, the research faced a lot of criticism from well-known researchers but general public accepted the measles link with autism. Gradually, the measles vaccination rate begins to decline in few regions of the United States.

Therefore, it is extremely difficult for the concerned authorities to tackle this deadly outbreak. As per the latest report of California Department of Public Health, Northern California is like a house of measles anti- vaccination movement. Hence, the region would probably suffer from the worst epidemic of the lethal disease.

Flu infections continue to outpace last year’s rate

January 1, 2015 By Cliff Jenkins Scott

Health officials say that Flu infections have outrun the last year’s percentage in San Diego County.

Lab has confirmed 607 influenza cases this season which were previously recorded to be 359 last season. Similarly patients seeking treatment for the flu in emergency rooms are found to be 9 percent which is thrice the rate recorded last season.

According to the county’s Health and Human Services Agency, There have been no flu-related deaths reported so far.
Public-Health experts say that there is still time for the people to get vaccinated as it only takes two weeks for the body to produce enough antibodies against the virus.

But according to the researchers the virus H3N2 have mutated this season so the vaccine doesn’t offer full protection against the virus. CDC has predicted that flu this season would be a severe one. Further research is been going to empower the vaccine.

To reduce risks of the flu thorough hand washing and use of sanitizers have been recommended by health experts. They also urge people to avoid touching their nose, eyes, nose and mouth with their fingers, and to minimize the risk of contagion by staying home when sick.

For further information and details call 211 or visit sdiz.org. People without health insurance may want to consider seeking a flu shot at one of the county’s immunization clinics.

How Ebola survivor can help cure Ebola

December 22, 2014 By Cliff Jenkins Scott

Blood of Ebola survivors can be a cure to the deadly disease. The proteins found in the survivor of this disease may help others to cure.

Rick Sacra, a survivor of Ebola, who got infected in Liberia but got well after the treatment in US, is a physician at the University of Massachusetts, have agreed to donate her blood to research aimed to develop new medicines.

By virtue of this donation, James Crowe of Vanderbilt University has found what he was looking for months and can now hopefully develop a new class of drugs.

Sacra said “They can take antibodies they find in my blood and map them out. They are looking for the ones that are most important in neutralizing the virus,”

The disease has already taken 7000 lives in West Africa which is the most deadly outbreak ever.

Rick Sacra is a missionary for Christian group SIM USA. He will be going back to Liberia on January 15, 2015 but will not be fighting the epidemic. She will be treating patients with high B.P and diabetes.

“This demonstrates how Rick has such a heart for serving others and using his skills to treat those suffering from various conditions. We’re so thankful for his successful treatment and recovery from Ebola. He has spent nearly 20 years serving patients in Liberia, and now he’s ready to get back to work doing the things he’s trained and gifted to perform,” Bruce Johnson, president of SIM USA, said.

Mapp Biopharmaceutical, an American pharmaceutical company based in San Diego, California, is developing a drug treatment called ZMapp, which is a compound of three antibodies which have each been shown to be effective in treating Ebola infections. The research is been funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH). By studying the antibody from Sacra’s blood the Crowe and Mapp are hopeful to shape ZMapp so that it can target the Ebloa strains. Success in this would lead the drugs to a whole another level.

Antibodies from the special cells called WBCs or B cells are going to be examined in development of new drug. ZMapp uses the antibodies from tobacco plant while researchers are planning to use mammal cells in future development.

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