• New ultrasensitive assay detects most poisonous substance known

    One gram of botulinum toxin could kill more than one million people — little wonder, then, that CDC identifies botulinum neurotoxin as one of six “maximum threat” bioterrorism agents; researchers have now developed a new ultrasensitive assay to detect botulinum neurotoxin

  • Debate over private biolabs in Seattle

    Biolabs bring high-paying jobs to a community and contracts from government and the pharmaceutical industry; there is always a danger, though: an accident may occur and a deadly pathogen may be released into the environment to wreak havoc and death; in Seattle they debate the wisdom of locating biolabs in residential communities s

  • FDA: Heparin contamination may have been deliberate

    Blood-thinner heparin costs manufacturers $900 a pound; a similar chemical, oversulfated chondroitin sulfate, costs $9 a pound; Chinese drug manufacturer uses the latter chemical to produce fake heparin — causing the death of nearly 100 and sickness of thousands around the world; FDA initially said this was a case of “economic fraud,” but now says something more sinister may be afoot

  • Chinese officials accused of covering up killer virus

    Chinese authorities are criticized for covering up an outbreak of a deadly enterovirus 71, which left 20 dead and more than 1,500 ill

  • Researchers find source of lethal heparin

    A common blood-thinning drug heparin, produced in China, was linked to more than 400 illnesses and as many as twenty-one deaths across the United States, and many more around the world; researchers find that the source of contamination was a complex carbohydrate named oversulfated chondroitin sulfate, which has a structure so similar to heparin but which is nearly undetectable

  • Indonesia runs airport bird flu drill

    Indonesia is the nation worst hit by the bird flu so far, with 107 dead since the first human case appeared here in 2005; authorities run a bird flu detection drill at the Bali airport

  • Herbicide-tolerant crops can improve water quality

    One of the major sources of water contamination is herbicide pollution; scientists find that using herbicide-tolerant crops — and replacing some of the residual herbicides with the contact herbicides —significantly reduces water pollution

  • DEET found in Chicago drinking water

    Low levels of bug repellent found in Chicago drinking water; the city water authorities say the amounts are too small to worry about, but a Duke University expert says finding raises a red flag

  • Israelis buy hand-held assays for anthrax detection from UDTT

    In Israel they like to be self-reliant when it comes to antiterror technologies, and they have the scientific and industrial base to do so; still, an Israeli company turns to UDTT for anthrax detection technology

  • Human testing of Vietnamese-made H5N1 vaccine

    Vietnam begins human testing of Vietnamese-made H5N1 vaccine; initial tests involve 240 volunteers; Vietnam has already tested avian flu vaccine on monkeys and reports results were encouraging

  • AWWA urges scientific approach to pharmaceuticals in drinking water

    The sky may not be falling: Stories about pharmaceutical traces in U.S. drinking water abound, but an expert from Southern Nevada Water Authority testifies before Senate subcommittee that worries about the ill effects of such traces are exaggerated

  • EU worries about threat posed by drug-resistant "super bugs"

    Four million people in the 27 EU member states have health-care infections every year — infections attributable to drug-resistant bugs; of these, 35,000 die; health officials plan EU-wide campaign

  • Chicago testing Lake Michigan water for drugs

    Lab tests found traces of pharmaceuticals in the water of Lake Michigan, the source of drinking water for millions in the greater Chicago area; city water authorities launch a thorough water testing campaign

  • Rare, atypical mad cow case reported in Canada

    A case of mad cow disease discovered in Canada in December involves an atypical strain of the infection also reported in Europe, Canadian officials said Wednesday

  • New airborne pathogen detector

    An Austrian company joins forces with a German specialist to develop autonomous lab-on-a-chip based detection system for the European Defense Agency