Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

€500K grant to tackle Ebola threat in Uganda
Disease surveillance will be carried out to determine the effectiveness of control and preventative health measures.
Researchers team up as DRC reports 10th outbreak 

Global scientists have been awarded a €500,000 grant to tackle the imminent threat of Ebola in Uganda.

Last month, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported its 10th Ebola outbreak in the North Kivu province, which borders Uganda.

A total of 223 confirmed and probable cases, including 144 deaths, had been reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) by 18 October. New cases, deaths and suspected cases are being reported daily.

Preparing for an outbreak in Uganda has become a priority, as an esteemed 8,000-10,000 people cross between the countries on market days.

Researchers from the CAPA CT 2 Consortium brings together researchers from the University of Liverpool, Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Uganda and the University of Turin in Italy.

The consortium will explore the pharmacokinetics of remdesivir - an anti-viral drug - in healthy volunteers, and then in patients needing treatment in the event of an outbreak. The research will also guide the best use of the drug in clinical practice, where individual patient factors and impact of disease may affect drug concentrations.

Disease surveillance will also be carried out to determine the effectiveness of control and preventative health measures.

Dr Peter Waitt, based at the Infectious Diseases Institute at Makerere University, said: “The research being conducted by the consortium aims to improve knowledge of the mechanism of action of a prioritised drug by generating local clinical pharmacokinetic data that is needed for accurate interpretation of sparse data from patients requiring the drug.

“Furthermore, in a setting of high HIV prevalence, we will explore drug interactions with antiretroviral drugs and to inform future treatment optimisation approaches. The results will provide the strong, evidence-based recommendation on dosing for human use, and may identify special populations in whom different dosing strategies should be considered.”

 

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.