Science Media Centre

The MeNZB vaccine developed to control New Zealand’s meningococcal B epidemic in 2004-5 has helped researchers to create another, more advanced vaccine targeting more variants of the bacterial pathogen. The MeNZB vaccine was a  regionally specific vaccine for New Zealand targeting the B serotype of the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, which cause meningococcal diseases, including meningitis. [...]

New Zealand’s immunisation program has drastically reduced the prevalence of many potentially life-threatening communicable diseases, but it wont rest on it’s laurels when there is still room for improvement. This week is New Zealand’s National Immunisation Week, promoted by the Ministry of Health as a part of a larger World Health Organisation initiative. An awareness [...]

Why do some people staunchly maintain their beliefs in the face of irrefutable evidence to the contrary? Journalist Chris Mooney investigates this question in an excellent article written for the magazine/website Mother Jones. His piece, titled “The Science of Why We Don’t Believe Science“, covers issues such as climate change, the vaccine debate and creationism. [...]

RadioLive EnviroNews: Graeme Hill interviews Janine Duckworth, Landcare Research’s pest control specialist, on a new vaccine that might control the possum population in New Zealand. The vaccine, rather than killing possums, aims to cause infertility – leading to an eventual decline in numbers. You can listen to the full interview here

Researchers at the Malaghan Institute (Wellington) have made a discovery which could hasten the development of a vaccine for hookworm. The parasite affects an estimated 1 billion people, and is a leading cause of  deaths of mothers and children in developing countries. An excerpt: (read in full here) “Prof Le Gros said current controls for [...]

With flu cases on the increase nationally, authorities are warning that there are only a small number of vaccines left. An excerpt: (read in full here) “In the last week alone 59 people have been admitted to hospital, with areas around the top of the North Island worst hit. “This week Northland DHB reported the [...]

Elizabeth Binning writes in the New Zealand Herald about the spike in cold and flu cases in Auckland, despite what looks to be an early spring. Healthcare providers are encouraging people to get vaccinated, particularly people at risk such as pregnant and very young people. An excerpt: (read in full here) “However, despite the increase [...]

US researchers have, they say, successfully trialed a breast cancer vaccine which stopped 100% of breast cancers developing or growing in the mouse models used. The next step will be to trial the drug in humans, and it could take years before the drug (if successful in humans) is available as a treatment. An excerpt: [...]

Barbara Docherty writes in Sunday News about the highly dangerous disease meningitis, how to spot the symptoms, and what the best options for prevention are. While sensible precautions such as regularly washing one’s hands and a healthy diet certainly help, the best means of preventing the viral form of the disease is vaccination, particularly in [...]

Janine Rankin writes in the Manawatu Standard about the gardasil vaccine, which health experts are urging young women to use to protect themselves from infection by the HPV virus. The virus is known to cause cervical cancer in some women, and some experts are hailing the vaccine as a ‘major breakthrough’, although it has become [...]