Category: Health

A Small Victory Over AIDS

It’s hard to find good news about AIDS, especially AIDS in Africa. Former UN Special Envoy Stephen Lewis has gone so far as to call it a genocide. But, good news can surface in the most unlikely of places. Through changes in social behaviour and however slowly, Zimbabwe may be starting to turn the tide. Although other factors may be affecting the numbers, a slight increase in condom use seems to mark the first instance of declining HIV infection rates in Southern Africa. Small actions make a big difference.

You can help the fight against AIDS in Africa through The Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Camp Sizanani

Camp Sizanani

Camp Sizanani is a special place. Located near Johannesburg, South Africa, Sizanani provides children affected with HIV/AIDS a place to escape, to grow, and most importantly, to be kids. Sizanani offers campers the opportunity to swim, dance, test their creativity in Arts & Crafts, and play a variety of sports. The camp also hosts a unique program that teaches campers a variety of life skills, such as nutrition, hygiene, healthy sexuality, and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

Sizanani is a Zulu word meaning “help each other.” The camp is part of a non-profit corporation called World Camps, which aims to “provide a camp experience for children affected by HIV/AIDS in developing countries and to change prevailing attitudes and behaviors towards AIDS.” Sizanani is one of several initiatives planned by World Camps.

Boys and girls attend Camp Sizanani for separate ten day sessions. There are six sessions held each year. Typically, the camp can accomodate 110 children (ranging in age from 10-15 years old). It draws many of its campers from Soweto, and is staffed both by local folks and international volunteers.

Bird Flu Vaccine 100% Effective

Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh have created a bird flu vaccine that has a nearly 100% successful cure rate in the animals they tested it on.

The scientists took components of the deadly H5N1 virus and have essentially grown a vaccine from it. Since the vaccine is made in cells it is actually easier and faster to produce than other attempted bird flu vaccines.

Researchers Reveal 3D structure of HIV

A team of scientists from the UK and Germany have established the 3D structure of the HIV virus. This discovery may help other scientists to develop new therapeutic techniques.

The scientists had a tough time cracking the shape of the virus, as it is highly variable, but they used a technique of combining multiple images to glean HIV’s shape.

The HIV virus causes aids by infecting the body’s T Cells, critical immune system cells which fight off invaders.

Lab-grown cardiac patch in testing

Love Your HeartA new technology is being tested that may one day allow patients who have suffered heart attack or heart disease to ‘patch’ their broken hearts with new, lab-grown tissue.

The team led by professor Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City are using a bioreactor to grow new tissues to spec. There are problems yet to be worked out, but animal trials are underway, with the hope of starting human trials perhaps in a decade.