Flu News and Research

RSS

Drug-resistant bacteria increasingly causing infections in healthy people

An emerging form of so-called "flesh-eating bacteria" is caused by a strain that is resistant to standard first-line antibiotics. The same type of bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is causing record numbers of less-serious skin infections in children and also is emerging as a cause of pneumonia, which can be deadly

30 Sep 2004

Each year, between 25 million and 50 million Americans will suffer with the flu

Each year, between 25 million and 50 million Americans will suffer with the fever, chills, body aches and upper respiratory problems brought on by viral influenza, better known as the flu.

30 Sep 2004

As little as one standard cup of coffee a day can produce caffeine addiction

If you missed your morning coffee and now you have a headache and difficulty concentrating, you might be able to blame it on caffeine withdrawal.

29 Sep 2004

ID Biomedical awarded US$9.5 million to develop its cell culture-based influenza vaccine

ID Biomedical announced today that it has been awarded a US$9.5 million grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop its cell culture-based influenza vaccine.

29 Sep 2004

Last year over 36,000 Americans died from exposure to the flu

Another 200,000 people were hospitalized with symptoms of the illness. The flu and pneumonia (the most common complication of the flu) combined are the fifth leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older.

29 Sep 2004

Chiron CEO to appear before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

Chiron Corporation announced that president and chief executive officer Howard Pien will appear before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging in Washington, D.C., today in a hearing titled, "Combating the Flu: Keeping Seniors Alive."

28 Sep 2004

Two new cases of leptospirosis confirmed in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has confirmed two new cases of leptospirosis involving participants of the hiking activity "Team Challenge 36" held in August.

28 Sep 2004

Hong Kong influenza vaccination to start November

Six groups of people at higher risk of flu complications will make up the first category in the Hong Kong Government's Influenza Vaccination Programme, to be implemented in November and December.

27 Sep 2004

Five new human cases of West Nile virus confirmed in Mississippi

The Mississippi State Department of Health has confirmed five additional human cases of West Nile virus - one in Hinds County, one in Lee County, one in Pike County and two in Rankin County residents.

26 Sep 2004

CDC reports that too few young children are protected against influenza

A report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that only 4.4 percent of the nation’s children aged 6 to 23 months were fully vaccinated against influenza during the 2002-03 influenza season, the first season CDC encouraged influenza vaccination for healthy children.

26 Sep 2004

American Lung Association launches online flu shot locator

As the flu season is about to begin, the American Lung Association today launched its online "flu shot locator" to help more people find and obtain flu vaccinations in their neighborhoods.

23 Sep 2004

Aventis Pasteur to manufacture and store 2 million doses of avian influenza H5N1 vaccine

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced the awarding of a contract to Aventis Pasteur Inc. to manufacture and store 2 million doses of avian influenza H5N1 vaccine

22 Sep 2004

Global health is recurrently being threatened by new and re-emerging infectious diseases

Global health is recurrently being threatened by new and re-emerging infectious diseases. Examples of new and re-emerging infectious diseases include SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), new variant CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease), avian flu and Ebola.

20 Sep 2004

Genome researchers to look at 1918 Spanish flu

University of Washington researchers will be taking part in a multi-site project examining a portion of the genome of the strain of influenza responsible for the "Spanish Flu" outbreak in 1918.

20 Sep 2004

29 percent of California women mistakenly believe a cold or flu should be treated with an antibiotic

Illustrating the extent of Americans’ lack of knowledge about antibiotics, 29 percent of California women queried mistakenly believe a cold or flu should be treated with an antibiotic, according to results of a survey being presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

20 Sep 2004

New diagnostic tests for bird flu

On the final day of the recent HPA conference, delegates heard about work that the Agency is carrying out to prepare for an avian flu pandemic.

16 Sep 2004

Botox injections to treat children with cerebral palsy

Botox injections are best known for reducing wrinkles on the face. However, experts at Loyola University Health System are finding new ways to use the injections in children with cerebral palsy, with most benefit in patients who are younger than 5 years old.

12 Sep 2004

Sinovac completes dosing in phase 1 human clinical testing of SARS vaccine

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. has announced that all 36 subjects of the Phase I human clinical trial for its inactivated SARS vaccine have now been vaccinated with two doses of either SARS vaccine or placebo.

7 Sep 2004

New multilingual chronic obstructive pulmonary disease website

The European Respiratory Society has launched a new multilingual website specifically targeted at patients with chronic bronchitis, emphysema or other “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” (COPD), group of conditions in which the patient has an expiratory airflow obstruction that causes air to become trapped in the lung and limit the ability to exhale.

5 Sep 2004

Research may significant consequences in leading drug researchers to develop new and more effective means to block influenza and other viruses

Combating viruses is often a frustrating business. Find a way to destroy them - and before you know it, they’ve found a way to defend themselves and neutralize the anti-viral treatment.

5 Sep 2004