Upcoming P.A.C.E. accredited webcast – “Beyond B” from DNA MedED Cafe

“Beyond B: The Changing HIV-1 Virus and Its Implications for Diagnostics and Patient Management” will be presented on June 5 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time by DNA MedED Cafe.
“Space is limited” and participants are asked to register at least 48 hrs before the scheduled webcast.

 

“Wake up America! The Future Public Health Workforce is at Risk”

A Center for State and Local Government Excellence report from March 2008 presents the results of a poll on public health workforce issues. (A briefing audio is also available.) The poll found “that most Americans are unaware that state and local public health departments are facing a serious shortage of skilled professionals that could put the health and lives of citizens at risk.”

Zoonoses and human health

An article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association discusses the grant given by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to Washington State University for the recently formed School of Global Animal Health. The school is “focused on improving human health and well-being by better control of animal diseases,” according to director Guy Palmer, as quoted in the article.

“Network of Lab Robotics Stop Livestock Disease” on ThePoultrySite.com discusses the use of robotics in veterinary diagnostic laboratories, especially in Kansas.

SUNY at Albany’s SPH Center for Public Health Preparedness has an archived webcast on “Agroterrorism: Managing Foreign & Emerging Animal Diseases” (originally broadcast Oct. 12, 2006) 

World Health Organization information on “Zoonoses and veterinary public health.”

World Malaria Day – Friday April 25

Friday April 25 is World Malaria Day.
For more information:
Roll Back Malaria Partnership
Mobilizing for Malaria
Malaria Consortium
Nothing But Nets campaign
CDC World Malaria Day feature

National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, April 20-26, 2008

This week is National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week; the theme is “Laboratory Professionals: Delivering Today’s Results for a Healthier Tomorrow.”

For more information visit sponsoring organizations, including
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS)

American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)

College of American Pathologists (CAP)

AABB

American Medical Technologists (AMT)

Also in conjunction with Lab Week, the Facebook Scholarship Contest winners have been announced at  Labs Are Vital.

Canada’s National Medical Laboratory Week, April 13-19, 2008

This week is National Medical Laboratory Week in Canada. (Next week is National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week in the US; more on that in an upcoming post.)

 

Read: “Escalating shortage of lab professionals threatens health care”

Respirology special issue: “Examining the Avian Flu: From Pandemic Planning to Vaccine Development”

The journal Respirology has a special supplementary issue on avian influenza available as free full text online. (More information from the publisher.)

Articles featured in this special supplement issue include:
- Li-Cher Loh, David S.C. Hui & Richard Beasley, “INTRODUCTION: Avian influenza: From basic biology to pandemic planning”
- Tomothy M. Uyeki, “Global epidemiology of human infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses”
- David S. C. Hui, “Review of clinical symptoms and spectrum in humans with influenza A/H5N1 infection”
- John M. Nicholls & J.S. Malik Peiris, “Avian influenza: Update on pathogenesis and laboratory diagnosis”
- Paul A. Tambyah, “Update on influenza anti-virals”
- David S. C. Hui, “Influenza A/H5N1 infection: Other treatment options and issues”
- Curtis N. Sessler & Niclae D. Gray, “Intensive care management of life-threatening avian influenza A (H5N1)”
- Nan-Shan Zhong & Guang-Qiao Zeng, “Pandemic planning in China: Applying lessons from severe acute respiratory syndrome”
- Supamit Chunsuttiwat, “Response to avian influenza and preparedness for pandemic influenza: Thailand’s experience”
- Paul A. Tambyah, “Update on influenza vaccines”
- Donald E. Low, “Pandemic planning: Non-pharmaceutical interventions”

World Health Day 2008: protecting health from climate change

Today is World Health Day, coinciding with the beginning of National Public Health Week, and both events are focused on health and climate change.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has announced the release of a new video on “Biodiversity and World Health Day,” highlighting their research program on biodiversity and human health.

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO):

 

 

National Public Health Week next week – April 7-13, 2008

Next week is National Public Health Week, with a theme of climate change and public health.

For more information:

WHO on climate change and human health

US EPA on climate change and health

CDC on climate change and public health

Library of Congress guide to Global Warming & Climate Change

new Ricketts Regional Biocontainment Laboratory

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house are planned to celebrate the coming completion of the Howard T. Ricketts Regional Biocontainment Laboratory at Argonne National Laboratories in Illinois.