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TELECOMWORLDWIRE-15 May 2008-HPA selects System Associates to develop website for culture collections(C)1994-2008 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com

A contract to provide integrated web services for the UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA), which works to protect public health and prevent the spread of infectious diseases through the provision of support and advice to various bodies such as the NHS, emergency services and the Department of Health, has been awarded to System Associates, a web solutions provider.

HPA’s work incorporates the provision and maintenance of four main culture collections, which include over 45,000 cell cultures, bacterial cultures, viruses and fungal strains, many of which are available for global sale and distribution for biological, medical and veterinary research.

System Associates said the contract will result in the integration of the four culture collections into one website, with products and services provided by all four collections made available for purchase via a secure online ordering and payment service, for the first time.

The company designed a new look for the website and is also providing a bespoke content management system and search engine functionality, which will be powered by its g-Suite web products range. System Associates is also providing 24 hour hosting, graphic design, managed services, consultancy and bespoke application development.

The culture collection databases are to be integrated into one web address - http://www.hpacultures.org.uk - with the g-Serve content management framework used to power site content and provide authorised HPA users with facilities for managing page content, processing orders, updating listings and improving search rankings. The g-Media software will enable users to create new collections, add items to current databases and store and retrieve images and text.

In addition, System Associates will provide a bespoke search facility, based around open source Java application g-Seek, which is developed to work with public sector best practice metadata standards and be able to index sites not adhering to these standards.

((Comments on this story may be sent to tww.feedback@m2.com))

COPYRIGHT 2008 M2 Communications Ltd.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

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Worldwide Computer Products News-15 May 2008-BitDefender introduces BitDefender GameSafe(C)1995-2008 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com

BitDefender, a provider of antivirus software and data security solutions, introduced its new antivirus defense for gamers called BitDefender GameSafe, which defends users’ PCs from viruses, spyware and rootkits.

According to the company, GameSafe has a minimal impact on processing power, memory and virtual memory, allowing gamers to maintain ‘in-game’ responsiveness and eliminating interruptions during play.

When activated, the solution minimizes processor time and memory consumption; postpones automatic updates and scans; eliminates all alerts and pop-ups; sets the scanning level to ‘permissive,’ so only the most important files are scanned. In addition, the GameSafe firewall protects users’ Wi-Fi connection from unauthorized access.

No pricing details were disclosed.

((Comments on this story may be sent to info@m2.com))

COPYRIGHT 2008 M2 Communications Ltd.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

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*TENNIS

Justine Henin has spent a professional lifetime contradicting those who believe that only muscle and power can win the day in modern tennis. Yesterday the world No 1 sprang her biggest and final surprise when she announced her retirement. “This is a definitive decision,” the 25-year-old Belgian said. “Those who know me know it is serious.”

Although Henin had made a comparatively poor start to the year, her decision is a huge shock and a major blow to a sport which has now lost three of its biggest names since the start of last year following the retirements of Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis.

Ever since Henin took more than a year to recover from a virus that laid her low in 2004, health issues have been a concern. She has cut down on her schedule in recent years but only last week was complaining of fatigue after what proved to be her final match, a defeat to Dinara Safina in Berlin.

“At the end of that match [retirement] all of a sudden was there as something evident,” she said at a news conference in Belgium yesterday. “I decided to stop fooling myself and accept it.”

In an age dominated by strength rather than finesse, Henin has been an unlikely champion. At 5ft 5in and nine stone, she is tiny in comparison with many of her rivals. However, giving so much away physically has meant that she has had to train harder, which put its own strains on her body. Nevertheless, she could also hit the ball with remarkable power and John McEnroe once described her one- handed backhand as the best shot in tennis. She was outstanding on clay but had the game to win on all surfaces.

Henin had dominated the women’s game for the last two years, but the first signs that all was not well came in January at the Australian Open, when she won only four games in losing to Maria Sharapova in the quarter-finals. An even heavier defeat followed in Miami, where she won just two games against Serena Williams.

“I thought long about this,” Henin said. “I started thinking about it late last year. I was at the end of the road. I leave with my head held high.”

Henin won four French Opens, two US Opens, one Australian Open and Olympic gold. Wimbledon was the only jewel missing from her crown, though she twice reached the final. The Belgian’s domination was never as great as in the last seven months of last year. She won the French Open without dropping a set and after losing to Marion Bartoli in the Wimbledon semi-finals in one of the shocks of the year went on an extraordinary unbeaten run. She won her last 25 matches, claiming the US Open and season-ending Sony Ericsson WTA Championships along the way.

Her retirement comes at a time when she has found more peace in her private life than for many a year. After the breakdown two winters ago of her four-year marriage to Pierre-Yves Hardenne, she started to rebuild her relationship with her father and other male relatives, having had no contact with them for several years. It was fitting that her last title, in February, was won in Antwerp in front of a home crowd and, for the first time since the break with her family, in front of her father.

The Henin statistics

Nationality Belgian

Age 25

Turned Pro 1999

11 Grand Slam finals

7 Victories

4 Defeats

French Open Champion 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007

US Open Champion 2003, 2007. Runner-up 2006

Australian Open Champion 2004. Runner-up 2006

Wimbledon Runner-up 2001, 2006

*Nearly $20m (10.3m) earnings in WTA career.

*Spent 116 weeks in total as World No 1 - her current ranking.

Copyright c 2008 Independent Newspapers UK Limited. All rights
owned or operated by The Independent.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.

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Improved Network Security Keeps Quotit Client Data Safe From Theft, Spam and Computer Viruses

IRVINE, Calif. — Quotit Corporation (http://www.quotit.com), a division of The Word & Brown Companies (www.wordandbrowncompanies.com), announced today that it received McAfee Incorporated’s HACKER SAFE([R]) certification. McAfee([R]) is a leading supplier of network and computer security solutions and its HACKER SAFE certification is achieved by passing rigorous daily network security audits.

"This certification serves as additional assurance to Quotit customers that their data is safe and secure," said David Smithson, president and founder of Quotit - the nation’s leading expert in technology for the health insurance and employee benefits industry. "It also serves as notice to would-be hackers that Quotit diligently protects its network infrastructure."

The HACKER SAFE([R]) certification mark is displayed on more than 80,000 Web sites worldwide, including some of the largest brands in retail ecommerce, banks, universities, Fortune 500 corporations, state, county and city governments, and nonprofit institutions.

Quotit, whose carrier network includes more than 120 insurance carriers representing more than 11,300 plans in the health, life, dental and vision insurance markets, strives to provide clients with the best possible technology and network security. The HACKER SAFE certification is just another way Quotit protects its customers.

"We pride ourselves on offering safe, secure places for insurance professionals and consumers to do business," Smithson said. "We’re a company that is always striving to strengthen our products and services."

About Quotit Corporation

Quotit is the leading Internet application service provider for the health insurance and employee benefits industry. Quotit’s Internet software enables insurance organizations to increase productivity and reduce costs by directly connecting insurance companies, brokers and retail consumers with insurance rates and benefits online, in real time.

Quotit has relationships with more than 120 insurance carriers representing more than 11,300 plans in the health, life, dental and vision insurance markets, including Aetna, United Healthcare, Health Net, WellPoint, Assurant Health, Humana, Celtic and independent licenses of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Quotit’s database of carriers and plans extends to 50 states, including the District of Columbia.

Visit www.quotit.com for information.

About The Word & Brown Companies

The Word & Brown Companies, headquartered in Orange, Calif., provides services to nearly 55,000 employers covering more than 6 million people across the nation. During its more than 20-year-span, The Word & Brown Companies has become the nation’s recognized leader in developing and offering innovative technology and health benefit plan models and the nation’s most sophisticated employee benefits services to companies of all sizes.

The Word & Brown Companies includes: The Word & Brown General Agency, the leader in developing and distributing health benefit plan models and solutions to licensed brokers in California and Nevada; CHOICE Administrators[R], the nation’s leader in developing and administrating employee-choice health benefit programs; CONEXIS, providing benefits solutions to clients nationwide, with expertise in COBRA and HIPAA administrative services, direct bill services, and flexible benefits administration, including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Section 132 commuter benefits; and Quotit Corporation, the leading Internet application service provider for the health insurance and employee benefits industry

Visit http://wordandbrowncompanies.com for more information.

COPYRIGHT 2008 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

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DALLAS — HemoBioTech (OTCBB: HMBT, www.hemobiotech.com) announced today that it received an exclusive worldwide license from Texas Tech University System for a new technology that addresses the safety of animal-derived products for human use in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and other industries. This new technology could prevent the spread of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies ("TSE"), also know as prions or mad cow disease, as well as viruses. The Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") strictly regulates medicinal products and cosmetics that contain ingredients from animals, particularly of bovine origin. The technology is being used in the manufacturing of HemoBioTech’s lead product HemoTech, potentially the first viable substitute for human blood. HemoTech is composed of chemically modified bovine hemoglobin.

The new purification technology, called "Orthogonal Method for the Removal of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Agents from Biological Fluids," could allow robust and reliable elimination of infectious agents, such as prions and viruses from the final product, using independent clearance steps, inactivation and removal.

This is a critical purification process in enhancing the safety that is needed for approval to sell such products. The market for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products for human use derived from animals is in excess of $7 billion.

"We are very excited about licensing this important technology. The goal is not only to use it for the manufacturing of our HemoTech but also to sublicense it to pharmaceutical, biotech, cosmetic and other companies that use animal-derived products for a variety of human uses. There is a continuing need to optimize the safety of such products for human use," said Dr. Arthur P. Bollon, chairman & CEO of HemoBioTech, Inc.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center scientists, Dr. Jan Simoni, Grace Simoni, and Dr. John F. Moeller developed this technology. The inventors will work with HemoBioTech in interacting with potential partners for sub-licensing opportunities.

Dr. Jan Simoni, Professor of Research at the Texas Tech Department of Surgery states, "This orthogonal technology could be effective in the elimination of pathogens from hemoglobin, which is susceptible for degradation, and also from other animal-derived products with therapeutic or cosmetic value in humans. Since this technology could also be used for clearance of pathogens of human origin, similar measures may apply for pharmaceuticals derived from human tissue. We are looking forward to introducing this technology to the industry to enhance the safety of biopharmaceuticals and cosmetics."

About HemoBioTech, Inc.

HemoBioTech is engaged in the commercial development of HemoTech, a novel human blood substitute technology developed by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center scientists, Drs. Mario Feola and Jan Simoni, and exclusively licensed from Texas Tech University System. HemoTech is composed of bovine hemoglobin that is chemically modified with ATP, Adenosine and GSH. HemoTech not only can carry oxygen in the blood, but can also induce erythropoiesis (red blood cell production). The Company believes that HemoTech, due to its novel structure, may possess properties that diminish the intrinsic toxicities that have plagued other attempts at developing blood substitutes, based upon pre-clinical and initial human clinical trials undertaken outside the U.S.. HemoTech is being subjected to further studies and testing to confirm and possibly expand on these results. HemoTech is being developed to help reduce or eliminate the danger resulting from acute blood loss in trauma, as well as for other conditions.

Corporate headquarters are located at 5001 Spring Valley Road, Suite 1040-West, Dallas, Texas 75244. For further information contact, Dr. Arthur Bollon at: 972-455-8955 or arthurb@flash.net or visit our website at: http://www.hemobiotech.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this news release may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements include declarations regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of HemoBioTech and its management and are valid only as of today, and we disclaim any obligation to update this information. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future experience and results to differ materially from the statements made. Factors that might cause such a difference include, among others the successful pre- clinical development, the successful completion of clinical trials, the FDA review process and other governmental regulation, pharmaceutical collaborator interest and ability to successfully develop and commercialize drug candidates, competition from other pharmaceutical companies, product pricing and third party reimbursement, and other factors which are included in HemoBioTech’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2007, as amended, and HemoBioTech’s other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

COPYRIGHT 2008 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

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STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Regulatory News:

Medivir AB (STO:MVIRB) announced today a new Research, Development and License agreement in the field of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Under the agreement, executed with Ortho Biotech Products L.P. of Bridgewater, NJ (a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), Medivir will partner with Tibotec BVBA of Mechelen, Belgium.

The goal of the HCV partnership is to identify and develop orally active inhibitors of the HCV polymerase NS5B. Activities will centre on screening new and existing libraries of nucleoside analogues, developed by Medivir, that show anti-HCV activity in vitro.

Medivir and Tibotec will together carry out the preclinical phase of the project with the aim of nominating drug candidates. Tibotec will thereafter have responsibility for clinical development and marketing of such compounds. Tibotec has been granted exclusive marketing rights in all countries except the Nordic countries where marketing rights are retained by Medivir.

According to the agreement, Medivir will receive an upfront payment of 5 million euros at signing. Medivir will receive further milestone payments up to a total of 142 million euros for one compound reaching the market and up to 272 million euros if two compounds reach the market and approved for two indications. Medivir will receive a royalty on product sales. The agreement also provides for research funding to Medivir.

"It is gratifying that we can broaden our collaboration with Tibotec. Strategically it is crucial to evaluate further HCV drug targets - such as the inhibition of polymerase NS5B - when endeavoring to treat HCV. Collaborating with Tibotec makes good sense when we are already engaged in the development of a compound with a different point of attack, namely the protease enzyme. The compound, TMC435350, is in phase IIa clinical trials", says Medivir’s CEO Lars Adlersson.

For more on Medivir, please see the company website: www.medivir.se

This information was brought to you by Cision http://newsroom.cision.com

COPYRIGHT 2008 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

Information provided by: Findarticles.com

Verizon Internet Security Suite Provides Comprehensive PC, Fraud Protection For Growing Number of Online Users

NEW YORK, May 15 /PRNewswire/ — More than 1 million consumers now turn to the Verizon Internet Security Suite for comprehensive protection from spyware, computer viruses and online fraud.

(Note: To learn more about the importance of online security, visit http://newscenter.verizon.com/kit/??)

Utilizing online security software that is automatically updated every three hours, the Verizon Internet Security Suite attracts hundreds of new users on a daily basis, recently surpassing the 1-million-subscriber mark.

Earlier this year, Verizon announced that it had added online fraud protection and a PC tuneup tool to the Verizon Internet Security Suite, complementing an already powerful lineup of protection features.

"More consumers every day are taking advantage of Verizon Internet Security Suite’s no-nonsense approach to identifying and combating the malicious elements lurking on the Web," said Bill Heilig, vice president of Verizon Broadband Solutions. "When packaged with the speed and reliability of Verizon broadband service, the value and effectiveness of our security tools quickly become apparent to new users."

In addition to the recently-added fraud protection and PC Tune-Up features, Verizon’s Internet Security Suite includes:

  -- Anti-virus -- Helps protect against known malicious viruses, worms and
     Trojans by detecting them, removing them and cleaning the affected
     files. The service runs in the background and blocks incoming virus
     attacks and related threats, including e-mail. Updates occur every
     three hours and are transparent to the end-user.

  -- Anti-spyware -- Offers powerful, up-to-date protection that
     automatically detects and eliminates a broad range of the spyware and
     tracking software that inappropriately tracks personal information and
     is widely responsible for degrading PC performance and online access.
     This service acts as a preventive step against the installation of
     hidden programs in a customer's system and can detect and remove more
     than 60,000 kinds of spyware.

  -- Firewall -- Acts as a shield to automatically block unauthorized
     intrusions, malicious hackers and other hostile attempts to access
     customers' computers. The Firewall is an easy-to-use, yet powerful
     defense for both dial-up and high-speed connections.

  -- Parental controls -- Allows consumers to monitor and manage Internet
     usage by determining the types of content and specific sites that may
     be accessed. Parents can also define appropriate Internet usage and
     schedules, and block access to non-permitted Internet Web sites.

  -- Pop-up/ad blocker - Helps ensure a browsing session that is faster and
     less cluttered by blocking online ads such as pop-ups, pop-unders,
     banners, animations and tile ads.

  -- Privacy manager -- Scans all outgoing communications for sensitive or
     identifying information to help prevent its release without user
     consent. It also provides control over cookies and how much information
     Web sites record about browsing habits.  And it has a cleanup utility
     feature that allows users to automatically remove traces of data left
     behind by Internet browsers and other programs.

  -- Content management -- Enables small-business customers to increase
     employee productivity by controlling the time of day and day of week
     for Internet access as well as ensuring users do not receive or have
     access to sites not intended for them.

While some security products appear daunting to install and update, the Verizon Internet Security Suite offers a simplified download and then operates in the background to protect Internet users on several different fronts. The Verizon service has the added advantage of updating security software every three hours to make sure subscribers have up-to-date security tools to protect them.

The Verizon Internet Security Suite is available for a low monthly price of $4.99 from one of the most trusted network and Internet service providers. Many security products only include one of these services, and the customer must pay an additional charge for the others. By offering a comprehensive service, Verizon helps users stay protected on several fronts, with a minimal amount of effort.

The Verizon Internet Security Suite utilizes advanced technology from Radialpoint (http://www.radialpoint.com/), provider of managed Internet security services.

More information regarding Verizon’s security suite is available at http://www.verizon.net/VISS .

Verizon Communications Inc. , headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving more than 67 million customers nationwide. Verizon’s Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employed a diverse workforce of approximately 232,000 as of the end of the first quarter 2008 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com/ .

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KENILWORTH, N.J., May 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Schering-Plough Corporation , a leader in advancing the science and treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, announced today that data from several clinical studies with PEGINTRON(TM) (peginterferon alfa-2b) and REBETOL(R) (ribavirin, USP) combination therapy, as well as boceprevir, the company’s investigational oral HCV protease inhibitor, will be presented at the 39th annual Digestive Disease Week (DDW) meeting to be held at the San Diego Convention Center, May 17-22.

Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne infection in America and the most common form of liver disease, affecting nearly 5 million people in the United States and 200 million people worldwide. It is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer, and the number one reason for liver transplants in the United States.

Clinical investigators will present findings from several PEGINTRON studies evaluating patient response to therapy at important treatment milestones, an approach that is aimed at individualizing treatment for patients to help improve outcomes. In particular, Schering-Plough is exploring unique treatment strategies for patients with more difficult-to-treat forms of the disease, such as patients who were nonresponders to previous therapy.

Schering-Plough also is exploring novel therapeutic approaches to treating hepatitis C with boceprevir, its investigational oral HCV protease inhibitor currently in Phase II clinical development. The final results of a Phase II dose-finding study of boceprevir with or without ribavirin in patients who were "null" responders to previous peginterferon and ribavirin combination therapy will be presented.

  Key Data Presentations at DDW

  PEGINTRON

Results from the EPIC3 Program: Platelet Counts Are Strong Predictors of Sustained Viral Response (SVR) in the Retreatment of Previous Interferon/Ribavirin Non-Responders (NR). Poynard, T. et al. Poster S1000, Abstract No. 442673, Sunday, May 18, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sails Pavilion.

Clearance of HCV at 5 Year Follow-Up for Peginterferon Alfa-2b with or without Ribavirin Is Predicted by Sustained Virologic Response at 24 Weeks Post-Treatment. Lindsay, K. et al. Poster S1001, Abstract No. 443097, Sunday, May 18, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sails Pavilion.

Sustained Virologic Response and Relapse Rates with Peginterferon Alfa-2b Plus Ribavirin in Clinical Trials Are Comparable to Those in Community-Based Studies. Manns, M. et al. Poster W1004, Abstract No. 441859, Wednesday, May 21, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sails Pavilion.

Rapid Virologic Response to Peginterferon Alfa and Ribavirin Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Predicts Sustained Virologic Response and Relapse. Poordad, F. et al. Poster W1007, Abstract No. 439219, Wednesday, May 21, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sails Pavilion.

Boceprevir

Role of Interferon Response During Re-Treatment of Null Responders with Boceprevir Combination Therapy: Results of Phase II Trial. Schiff, E. et al. Oral Presentation 162, Abstract No. 442360, Sunday, May 18, 4:30 p.m., Room 6DE.

Schering-Plough Supported CME Symposium

Defining the Course in the Management of HCV: A Case Based Approach Sunday, May 18, 6:30-9:30 p.m., San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina, Hall 3-6. A world-renowned faculty will present and discuss recent data and how this information may impact clinical management decisions. Among the educational objectives of this program is to define the role of viral clearance as a predictor of HCV treatment response.

About PEGINTRON

In the United States, PEGINTRON is indicated for use alone or with ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients with compensated liver disease who have not been previously treated with interferon alpha and who are at least 18 years of age.

Important Safety Information Regarding U.S. Labeling for PEGINTRON and REBETOL

Alpha interferons, including PEGINTRON and INTRON(R) A, may cause or aggravate fatal or life-threatening neuropsychiatric, autoimmune, ischemic, and infectious disorders. Patients should be monitored closely with periodic clinical and laboratory evaluations. Patients with persistently severe or worsening signs or symptoms of these conditions should be withdrawn from therapy. In many, but not all cases, these disorders resolve after stopping PEGINTRON and/or INTRON A therapy.

Use with Ribavirin: Ribavirin may cause birth defects and/or death of the unborn child. Extreme care must be taken to avoid pregnancy in female patients and in female partners of male patients. Ribavirin causes hemolytic anemia. The anemia associated with REBETOL therapy may result in a worsening of cardiac disease. Ribavirin is genotoxic and mutagenic and should be considered a potential carcinogen

Contraindications

PEGINTRON is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to PEGINTRON or any other component of the product, autoimmune hepatitis, and hepatic decompensation (Child-Pugh score greater than 6 [class B and C]) in cirrhotic CHC patients before or during treatment. INTRON A (Interferon alfa-2b, recombinant) for Injection is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to INTRON A or any component of the product, autoimmune hepatitis, and decompensated liver disease. PEGINTRON or INTRON A in combination with REBETOL therapy is additionally contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to ribavirin or any other component of the product, women who are pregnant, men whose female partners are pregnant, patients with hemoglobinopathies (e.g., thalassemia major, sickle-cell anemia), and patients with creatinine clearance less than 50 mL/min.

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MicroServe Consulting Inc., of Germantown, a woman-owned information technology company serving small to medium-sized businesses in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, said it is expanding its Managing Security Service to a national audience. MSS, which the company describes as a “security net” to protect a company’s network, consists of a box-shaped apparatus roughly the size of a small laptop computer.

MSS can be programmed to include such options as intrusion detection and prevention, e-mail security and high-level anti-spam filters. MicroServe said it handles all licenses and updates and guarantees against viruses.

Copyright 2008 Dolan Media Newswires
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.

Information provided by: Findarticles.com

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has adopted the unanimous recommendation of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the use of ZOSTAVAX([R]) (Zoster Vaccine Live) for the prevention of shingles in adults aged 60 and older. ZOSTAVAX is the only vaccine to prevent shingles, a frequently painful disease marked by a blistering rash that is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus. These final vaccination guidelines were published online today in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and are now available to health care providers.

ZOSTAVAX is indicated for the prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in people 60 years of age and older. The ACIP recommendations call for routine vaccination of all appropriate people 60 years of age and older with a single dose of ZOSTAVAX (referred to in the guidelines as zoster vaccine). According to the recommendations, people who report a previous episode of shingles and people with chronic medical conditions (e.g., chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pulmonary disease) can be vaccinated unless those conditions or other conditions the person may have are contraindications or precautions. ZOSTAVAX is not indicated for the treatment of shingles or the persistent nerve pain that can follow shingles in some people, called postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN. The recommendations also specify that ZOSTAVAX should not be used to prevent people who have shingles from developing PHN. According to the recommendations, before routine administration of ZOSTAVAX, it is not necessary to ask patients about their history of varicella (chickenpox) or to conduct serologic (blood) tests for varicella immunity. Shingles vaccination is also included on the CDC’s 2007-2008 Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule.

"Many adults do not realize that shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Therefore, anyone who has had chickenpox — and more than 90 percent of adults in America have — is at risk for shingles," said William Schaffner, MD, professor and chairman, Department of Preventive Medicine and professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and vice president, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). "Shingles can be painful. For most people, the pain associated with the shingles rash lessens as the rash heals, but for some adults shingles may lead to pain that can last for months or even years. Health care providers should review this recommendation and discuss the use of ZOSTAVAX for the prevention of shingles with their appropriate patients aged 60 and older."

More than 43 million adults over the age of 60 in the U.S. are estimated to be at risk for shingles. One out of two people who live to age 85 will have had the disease. Yet, according to results from the CDC’s 2007 National Immunization Survey, relatively few adults are getting vaccinated against shingles and other potentially serious infectious diseases. Also, earlier this year, the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases (NFID) released a survey showing that, aside from the flu, most adults have trouble naming diseases that they might be able to prevent by getting vaccinated. This NFID survey found that only four percent of adults surveyed were aware that a vaccine can help prevent shingles.

ZOSTAVAX is contraindicated in persons with a history of anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reaction to gelatin, neomycin, or any other component of the vaccine; with a history of primary or acquired immunodeficiency states including leukemia; lymphomas of any type, or other malignant neoplasms affecting the bone marrow or lymphatic system; or with AIDS or other clinical mani