A new study shows that simple guidelines to protect petting zoo patrons from disease-causing germs found in the zoo are frequently not followed, thus allowing the risks of contracting serious intestinal illnesses to persist. The study is published in the July 1, 2007, Clinical Infectious Diseases (and currently available online).

Vical Incorporated today announced that a measles DNA vaccine formulated with the company's Vaxfectinâ„¢ adjuvant elicited protective levels of neutralizing antibodies in juvenile (1 - 2 year old) nonhuman primates confirmed by complete protection following challenge more than one year after vaccination, and sterilizing immunity as evidenced by no clinical signs of disease and no detectable virus after challenge.

Heart researchers at the Center for Translational Medicine at Jefferson Medical College have used gene therapy to reverse heart failure in animals. In addition, they found that this gene therapy strategy had "unique and additive effects" to currently used, standard heart failure drugs called beta-blockers.