See what we’re reading this week at Global Biodefense on topics like H5N1 surveillance, the long-term impact of foodborne illness on the immune system, and fears of emerging biotechnologies.
Does Foodborne Illness Trigger Lifelong Health Problems?
The few studies that have followed victims of foodborne illness for years show that later in life, they suffer higher-than-usual rates not only of digestive trouble, but of arthritis and kidney problems, as well as greater risk of heart attack and stroke. The challenge of proving this connection is that our system for investigating foodborne illness is not set up for tracking victims long afterward. Wired
H5N1 Surveillance: Shift Expertise to Where It Matters
With moderate investment, we could be conducting surveillance for H5N1 and other emerging infections much more effectively, and could link that surveillance with immediate action. Too often, surveillance is crisis-driven, ad hoc and reactive; it is incorporated into overextended and under-resourced systems. It frequently relies on outside experts, who arrive with little understanding or appreciation of the country, local infrastructure or culture. Inevitably, a lot of time and resources get wasted — a purchased PCR machine ends up collecting dust in an empty lab, commitments to supply consumables are not honoured and there are too few trained people to service and run things after short-term projects end. Nature
FDA Seeks to Stop CA Fish Producer, Cites Botulism Risk
The U.S. Food and Drug administration is seeking an injunction against California seafood company Fujino Enterprises Inc. because of a risk of botulism and other food hazards in its fish and fish products. Food Safety News
Antiviral Drugs Could Blast the Common Cold—Should We Use Them?
Viruses mutate much faster than bacteria, and so our current antivirals have a limited shelf life. And they all have a narrow scope of attack. You might treat your flu with Tamiflu, but it won’t cure you of dengue fever or Japanese encephalitis. Scientists have to develop antivirals one disease at a time—a labor that can take many years. As a result, we still have no antivirals for many of the world’s nastiest viruses. Wired
Studies Confirm H1N1 Vaccine-Narcolepsy Link in Finnish Kids
Two new studies confirmed the link between narcolepsy in Finnish children and the adjuvanted 2009 H1N1 pandemic vaccine Pandemrix and offered new details. The group said the possibility that the increased incidence could be related to increased awareness about narcolepsy in 2010 is unlikely, since parents had sought medical care for their children before news stories about the possible pandemic vaccine link surfaced. CIDRAP
Fear and Loathing in Synthetic Biology Reminiscent of Other Biotechnologies
Understanding why risk is linked to this field could go a long way to managing perceptions and regulations. NIH has assessed its “Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA” with regard to synthetic biology and found that the distinction between recombinant and synthetic techniques is immaterial in discerning the need for biosafety oversight. Rather it is the biological attributes of the final product that should be taken into account. As part of the assessment it amended the guidelines document to include nucleic acids that are synthesized chemically without the use of recombinant technology. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News