Aids vaccine researchers fight for cash - www.iol.co.za - "To be a scientist pursuing an elusive vaccine for the rapacious Aids epidemic takes patience, optimism and lots of money...Only one is in short supply: money. Researchers estimate that only one percent of the 70 billion dollars the world spends on research for all medicines every year goes to Aids vaccine research...But with more at least four dozen vaccines now under investigation, compared to a paltry four or five just four years ago, scientists are confident they will figure out how to immunise against HIV infections that lead to Aids."

Experts cast bet on flu vaccine -  Imperfect shield beat delivery delay - http://newsobserver.com - "Despite evidence that a flu bug had mutated and was defying the current vaccine, health officials around the world took a calculated risk not to change the formula for this year's flu shots...Part of the reason was that the new strain was difficult to grow in the lab. That could have delayed the vaccine's development and, thus, its availability.  Given two options -- a late but better vaccine or a timely but flawed shot -- health officials chose the latter."

Officials: Late flu shot better than none - Federal, local government brace for worse-than-usual sickness season -  Ventura County Star

Japan Lags Behind in Taking Measures Against Measles - Asahi News Service) via www.immunizationinfo.org

Nasty flu bug picks on kids - The Salt Lake Tribune

Flu season hitting early and severely - Seattle Times

Experts urge vigilance, not alarm, about flu - The Buffalo News

Whooping cough on rise again - Coughing, fever may not just be symptoms of flu - The Akron Beacon Journal

New screening method for newborns can prevent complications - journal article (BMJ)

'Delivery by caesarean section in the first pregnancy could increase the risk of unexplained stillbirth in the second' (requires registration) - journal article (The Lancet)

Ethics of research involving vulnerable populations - letter - journal article (The Lancet)

State wants to use endangered fish to fight West Nile virus - Arizona Daily Sun

Japan to study ties between raw food, listeriosis - The Japan Times

How to scare a US marine - American troops in Liberia refused to take malaria pills, because they fear the side effects more than bullets.  Brendan O'Neill on the undermining of morale - The Spectator