Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

Study rethinks immune system strategies to boost vaccine effectiveness

A recent Cell journal review explores key immunological assumptions to enhance our understanding of vaccine design, autoimmune responses, and immune system pathology, aiming to refine intervention strategies and theoretical frameworks in immunology.

28 Apr 2024

New study offers promising targets for universal influenza B vaccine

In a milestone study led by the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), researchers have identified fragments from influenza B viruses that the immune system consistently recognize, offering promising targets for a universal influenza B vaccine

26 Apr 2024

Putting genomic surveillance of pathogens at the forefront of future pandemic preparedness

The Covid-19 pandemic turned the world upside down. In fighting it, one of our most important weapons was genomic surveillance, based on whole genome sequencing, which collects all the genetic data of a given microorganism.

25 Apr 2024

Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosts immunity but needs to be updated

A major bivalent COVID-19 vaccine induces production of neutralizing antibodies against the coronavirus that circulated at the start of the pandemic as well as subvariants of omicron, albeit less abundantly, according to a Brazilian study reported in the Journal of Medical Virology.

25 Apr 2024

154 million lives saved: Landmark study highlights power of vaccination

A major landmark study to be published by The Lancet reveals that global immunization efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives – or the equivalent of 6 lives every minute of every year – over the past 50 years.

25 Apr 2024

Repurposed nasal antibiotic neomycin shows promise in preventing and treating respiratory viral infections

Intranasal administration of neomycin sulfate in murine models shows promise as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent against respiratory viruses like influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 by inducing interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression, independent of microbiota and interferon activation.

24 Apr 2024

Review: Facilitators and barriers to vaccination uptake in pregnancy

Researchers from St George’s, University of London have identified key barriers to vaccine uptake for whooping cough, flu and Covid-19 in pregnant women, and outline recommendations for addressing vaccine hesitancy. The results are from the first review of its kind and published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

23 Apr 2024

WHO publishes report introducing updated terminology for airborne pathogens

Following consultation with public health agencies and experts, the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes a global technical consultation report introducing updated terminology for pathogens that transmit through the air.

22 Apr 2024

Metabolic health determines effectiveness of influenza vaccination

Metabolic health (normal blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, among other factors) influences the effectiveness of influenza vaccinations. Vaccination is known to be less effective in people with obesity compared to those with a healthier body mass index (BMI), but St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have found it is not obesity itself, but instead metabolic dysfunction, which makes the difference.

18 Apr 2024

Seasonal influenza triggers significant school closures, especially in southern states, study finds

Study examined closures of United States (US) schools due to 11 influenza seasons between 2011 and 2022.

18 Apr 2024

The path to a better tuberculosis vaccine runs through Montana

A team of Montana researchers is playing a key role in the development of a more effective vaccine against tuberculosis, an infectious disease that has killed more people than any other.

18 Apr 2024

Researchers identify key barriers and outline recommendations for vaccine uptake in pregnant women

Researchers from St George's, University of London have identified key barriers to vaccine uptake for whooping cough, flu and Covid-19 in pregnant women, and outline recommendations for addressing vaccine hesitancy.

17 Apr 2024

Study shows potential for universal flu vaccine with broad antibody response

Study discusses the potential of universal influenza vaccines, emphasizing the importance of antibody breadth and Fc receptor (FcR) effector functions in protecting against various influenza strains, including those with pandemic potential.

15 Apr 2024

Novel vaccine approach effective against all virus strains

Scientists at UC Riverside have demonstrated a new, RNA-based vaccine strategy that is effective against any strain of a virus and can be used safely even by babies or the immunocompromised.

15 Apr 2024

Antibiotics ineffective for cough treatment in lower respiratory tract infections

Use of antibiotics provided no measurable impact on the severity or duration of coughs even if a bacterial infection was present, finds a large, prospective study of people who sought treatment in U.S. primary or urgent care settings for lower-respiratory tract infections.

15 Apr 2024

Breast milk's secret weapon against RSV revealed in new study

Researchers explored how human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), suggesting that these components in breast milk may prevent or reduce the severity of RSV infections through multiple mechanisms including gut microbiome modulation and direct antiviral actions.

15 Apr 2024

Annual COVID-19 vaccine proves to be a wise investment for personal health and pocketbook

Study finds that receiving an annual COVID-19 vaccine is clinically and economically beneficial for individuals, regardless of insurance status, offering savings by reducing the likelihood of infection and its associated costs.

11 Apr 2024

ChatGPT could be an effective tool to help reduce vaccine hesitancy

New research being presented at this year's ESCMID Global Congress (formerly ECCMID) in Barcelona, Spain (27-30 April) suggests that the free-to-use, widely accessible ChatGPT could be an effective tool to help reduce vaccine hesitancy among the general public, as well as providing helpful advice on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in conjunction with sexual health clinics, by improving knowledge and access to care.

10 Apr 2024

Researchers create novel drug that can prevent flu-induced lung injury

Infection with the influenza virus leads to lung injury through inflammation over-activation that causes collateral damage to cells required for breathing.

10 Apr 2024

Human-wildlife interface: Starling movements linked to E. coli carriage

Research unveils how spotless starlings' movements, monitored via GPS, relate to the carriage and potential spread of Escherichia coli (E. coli), emphasizing the significant role of bird movement patterns in transmitting pathogens across different environments.

10 Apr 2024