24 MARCH 2009 | RIO DE JANEIRO -- The total number of new tuberculosis (TB) cases remained stable in 2007,  and the percentage of the world's population becoming ill with TB has continued the slow decline that was first observed in 2004, according to a new report released by WHO today.
However, the 2009 global TB control report also reveals that one out of four TB deaths is HIV-related, twice as many as previously recognized. In 2007, there were an estimated 1.37 million new cases of tuberculosis among HIV-infected people and 456 000 deaths. This figure reflects an improvement in the quality of the country data, which are now more representative and available from more countries than in previous years.
"These findings point to an urgent need to find, prevent and treat tuberculosis in people living with HIV and to test for HIV in all patients with TB in order to provide prevention, treatment and care. Countries can only do that through stronger collaborative programmes and stronger health systems that address both diseases," said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO.

New proposal to strengthen disaster prevention capacities and increase cooperation with developing countries.
A violent storm in France, fires in Greece, drought in Spain – any one of us could be caught off guard by a natural disaster where we live or are visiting. To make matters worse, as the climate changes, such disasters will likely become more intense and more frequent - the proportion of EU territory and population affected by drought has increased from 6% to 13% since 1990.
In addition to natural disasters and epidemics, manmade disasters such as oil spills and radioactive contamination threaten our environment and health. In response, the EU is planning to improve its ability to deal with disasters - before, during and after the event.
Disasters often don't stop at borders. Epidemics and fires spread from one country to the next, rivers carry contaminated water across borders and oil spills pollute beaches wherever they wash ashore.

Shoji Y, et al. Immunogenicity of hemagglutinin from A/Bar-headed Goose/Qinghai/1A/05 and A/Anhui/1/05 strains of H5N1 influenza viruses produced in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Vaccine (2009),doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.01.051. Link

Description: This study reports the immunogenicity in mice of a research vaccine produced using an innovative vaccine generating system that could be used to supplement the current egg-based or cell-based production. The study describes the engineering. production and testing of inactivated recombinant haemagglutinin (HA) from two clade 2 H5N1 viruses, A/Bar-headed Goose/Qinghai/1A/2005 and A/Anhui/1/2005, in a pla Nicotiana benthamiana plants. These plant-produced HA antigens induced serum HI (haemagglutinin inhibition) and VN (viral neutralization) antibody responses in mice demonstrating the potential of plant-produced HA-based pandemic influenza vaccines.