The female sex hormone beta-estradiol inhibits the efficacy of antiretroviral drug Stavudine against HIV-1 replication in peripheral blood lymphocytes and may have implications for anti-HIV-1 drug therapies.

The majority of herds in south-west England include cattle that are seropositive for the protozoan parasite Neospora caninum, with transmission appearing to occur both vertically and horizontally and to be enhanced by between-herd movement.

A new simplified model of a hypothetical hospital ward suggests that if staphylococcal transmission is only mediated via healthcare worker hands, then compliance of over 40% in hand washing is enough to prevent most infection outbreaks.

Although human rabies was previously under control in China, a recent increase in reported cases, associated with the failure of timely post-exposure prophylaxis, highlights the need for increased vigilance and stringent implementation of control measures.

Healthcare workers in England are routinely recruited from countries with a high prevalence of blood-borne infections such as TB and hepatitis, yet a survey of 500 nursing homes reveals that screening of personnel born overseas is not standard practice.