Saturday, May 25, 2013 8:04 PM EST

Infection

Overview

An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign parasite species. Infecting organisms seeks to utilize the host'sresources to multiply, usually at the expense of the host. The infecting organism, or pathogen, interferes with the normal functioning of the host and can lead to chronic wounds, gangrene, loss of an infected limb, and even death. The immune system of mammalian hosts reacts to infections with an innate response, often involving inflammation, followed by an adaptive response. Colloquially, a pathogen is usually considered a microscopic organism though the definition is broader, including macroparasites, fungi, viruses, prions, bacteria, and viroids. Asymbiosis between parasite and host, whereby the relationship is beneficial for the former but detrimental to the latter, is characterised asparasitism. The branch of medicine that focuses on infections and pathogens is infectious disease. "When infection attacks the body,anti-infective drugs can help turn the tide of battle. Four types of anti-infective or drugs exist: antibacterial (antibiotic), antiviral, antitubercular, and antifungal.

Headlines Around the Web

Mandela remains in hospital

Mar 29 - Politico

Nelson Mandela remains hospitalized

Dec 14 - Politico

Truvada, pill to help prevent HIV, approved by FDA

Jul 17 - Politico

Cybersecurity costs for business fall

Apr 24, 2012 - Financial Times

Apple out to kill widespread Macintosh virus

Apr 11, 2012 - France24

Roche Faces First Trial of Claims Over Raptiva Infections

Jan 14, 2012 - Business Week

Kenya: Medical Waste Poses Serious Threat to Scavengers

Jan 05, 2012 - AllAfrica News

FDA Orders Safety Studies for J&J, C.R. Bard Vaginal Mesh

Jan 05, 2012 - Business Week

FDA Orders Safety Studies for J&J and C.R. Bard Vaginal Mesh

Jan 05, 2012 - Business Week

FDA Orders Safety Studies for J&J and C.R. Bard Vaginal Implants

Jan 05, 2012 - Business Week

Newborn’s Death Spurs Race to Find Contamination in Baby Formula

Dec 23, 2011 - Business Week

Kenya: Respiratory Infections and Pregnancies Now Account for High Costs

Nov 25, 2011 - AllAfrica News

Pfizer’s Prevnar 13 Wins Panel Backing for Adults 50 and Older

Nov 17, 2011 - Business Week

Nigeria: Microsoft Offers Temporary Fix for Duqu Malware Exploit

Nov 07, 2011 - AllAfrica News

Microsoft offering defenses against Duqu virus

Nov 05, 2011 - France24

Stuxnet-like virus hides in Microsoft Word files

Nov 04, 2011 - France24

Merck’s Gardasil Wins Panel Backing for Routine Use in Boys

Oct 26, 2011 - Business Week

US drones infected by key logging virus

Oct 09, 2011 - AL JAZEERA

Oral Sex Virus May Surpass Smoking as Cause of Throat Cancer

Oct 04, 2011 - Business Week

At least 13 killed in US listeria outbreak

Sep 28, 2011 - AL JAZEERA

Articles About Infection

Bandra Terminal Acid Attack: Victim’s Condition Worsens, Culprit Yet to be Arrested

By IBTimes IN

Preeti Rathi, the 25-year-old woman who fell victim to an acid attack at the Bandra railway station in Mumbai, is said to be in critical condition after one of her lungs collapsed. (May 23)

Pfizer takes its shot at a vaccine for evasive superbug

By Reuters

Kathrin Jansen is a microbiologist with at least two breakthrough vaccines to her name: she brought the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil to market for Merck and helped develop the $4 billion a year pneumonia and meningitis vaccine Prevnar 13 for Pfizer. (May 23)

MORE TOPICS: PFIZER, GLAXOSMITHKLINE, AIDS, CANCER

Protect Your Business: Beat the Bad Guys of Mobilespace

By IBTimes UK

Blue Coat Systems Director of Product and Solutions Marketing Chris Pace details what we can do to protect ourselves. (May 23)

MORE TOPICS: MICROSOFT, SMARTPHONE, ANDROID

Tunisian Siblings Diagnosed with Novel Coronavirus after Death of Father

By IBTimes UK

Tunis confirms first cases of Sars-like NCoV after brother and sister contract disease. (May 22)

MORE TOPICS: UNITED KINGDOM, GERMANY, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, TUNISIA

Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Killed by Vitamin C

By IBTimes UK

Vitamin found in citrus fruits could be added to existing TB drugs to combat disease. (May 22)

Embattled NHS Boss David Nicolson to Retire

By IBTimes UK

Man who oversaw the running of scandal-hit Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust to stand down in March 2014. (May 22)

Doctors Find Surrey Student Jessica Curphey Has Four Kidneys

By IBTimes UK

Fewer than 100 other people have extra organs like Surrey University student (May 20)

HIV/AIDS Cure: Scientists Near AIDS Cure; To be Available at Affordable Prices

By IBTimes AU

Scientists are now drawing near to finding the cure for HIV/AIDS and will put the deadly disease into history. Moreover, the cure for Human Immune Deficiency virus is expected come in handy prices. (May 20)

Deaths Due To Bird Flu In China Rises To 36: WHO

By IBTimes IN

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed that four more people have died from H7N9 virus, the new strain of bird flu in China. According to a written statement issued by WHO, the death toll has rose to 36 from a total number of 131 confirmed cases in the country. (May 18)

MORE TOPICS: AL JAZEERA, CHINA, UNITED NATIONS, MANAGEMENT, BIRD FLU