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Swine Flu or influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that first caused illness in Mexico and the United States in March and April, 2009. It’s thought that novel influenza A (H1N1) flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread, mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus, but it may also be spread by touching infected objects and then touching your nose or mouth. Novel H1N1 infection has been reported to cause a wide range of flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. In addition, many people also have reported nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Sinovac Beijing receives GMP certificate for its proprietary vaccines

Sinovac Beijing receives GMP certificate for its proprietary vaccines

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced that Sinovac Beijing, the main operating subsidiary company of Sinovac, obtained the Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices for Pharmaceutical Products (GMP Certificate) from the China State and Food Administration (CFDA) for its proprietary vaccines, its Haidian district bulk production plants, and its Changping filing and packaging facility. [More]
To avoid difficulties experienced during SARS epidemic, China must remain transparent in H7N9 efforts

To avoid difficulties experienced during SARS epidemic, China must remain transparent in H7N9 efforts

"On this 10th anniversary of China's April 2003 admission that the SARS virus had spread across that country ... Beijing finds itself once again in a terrible position via-a-vis the microbial and geopolitical worlds," Laurie Garrett, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, writes in a Foreign Policy opinion piece, noting the emergence of a new strain of bird flu, H7N9, in the country. [More]
Anti-vaccination messages spread more easily than positive ones on Twitter, researchers find

Anti-vaccination messages spread more easily than positive ones on Twitter, researchers find

On Twitter, a popular microblogging and social-networking service, statements about vaccines may have unexpected effects -- positive messages may backfire, according to a team of Penn State University researchers led by Marcel Salath-, an assistant professor of biology. [More]
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals receives preliminary comment letter from FDA on peramivir

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals receives preliminary comment letter from FDA on peramivir

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it received a preliminary comment letter from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration that outlines a pathway by which BioCryst could file a New Drug Application seeking regulatory approval of intravenous (i.v.) peramivir. [More]
UCLA researchers predict hotspots for future outbreaks of influenza virus

UCLA researchers predict hotspots for future outbreaks of influenza virus

This year's unusually long and rocky flu season would be nothing compared to the pandemic that could occur if bird flu became highly contagious among humans, which is why UCLA researchers and their colleagues are creating new ways to predict where an outbreak could emerge. [More]
Influenza drug: an interview with Dr Jenny McKimm-Breschkin, CSIRO

Influenza drug: an interview with Dr Jenny McKimm-Breschkin, CSIRO

Influenza or flu for short is caused by a family of viruses, which can be called influenza A or influenza B. Influenza A viruses are found in humans, animals – like swine and horses- and mostly aquatic birds. Influenza B is only found in humans. [More]
Nursing home patients with pneumonia may need viral screening

Nursing home patients with pneumonia may need viral screening

Viral testing should be carried out among all older individuals who have been admitted to hospital for nursing home-acquired pneumonia, recommend researchers. [More]
Influenza vaccine linked to narcolepsy in children in England

Influenza vaccine linked to narcolepsy in children in England

Researchers have found an increased risk for narcolepsy in children who received the swine flu vaccination in England. [More]
NanoViricides retires Series C Convertible Preferred Stock previously purchased by Seaside

NanoViricides retires Series C Convertible Preferred Stock previously purchased by Seaside

NanoViricides, Inc., announced today that it has retired the remainder of the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock previously purchased by Seaside 88, LP, with a cash payment. [More]

New molecular compounds can kill the influenza virus

Simon Fraser University virologist Masahiro Niikura and his doctoral student Nicole Bance are among an international group of scientists that has discovered a new class of molecular compounds capable of killing the influenza virus. [More]
FluGen's REDEE FLU vaccine protects against both H5N1 and H3N2 strains

FluGen's REDEE FLU vaccine protects against both H5N1 and H3N2 strains

Deadly flu viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu and H3N2 swine flu, may have met their match in FluGen's universal vaccine, REDEE FLU. [More]

1 in 5 people infected with swine flu during first year of epidemic, WHO-led study shows

"At least one in five people worldwide were infected with swine flu during the first year of the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic, an international research group said on Friday, but the death rate was just 0.02 percent," Reuters reports. [More]

New research sets out alternative approach to pandemic preparedness

'Evil' scientists, deadly viruses and terrorist plots are usually the preserve of Hollywood blockbusters. But when it comes to pandemic influenza, it is the stuff of real life. As controversy about research into the H5N1 bird flu virus continues, a new paper argues for a complete overhaul of current approaches to pandemic preparedness. [More]
NanoViricides to advance influenza drug candidate with completed $5M funding

NanoViricides to advance influenza drug candidate with completed $5M funding

NanoViricides, Inc., announced today that it has received the final tranche of $2.5M from Seaside 88, LP, thereby completing the total of a $5M financing. This raise, and the receipt of the initial $2.5M tranche, was previously announced on June 29, 2012. [More]
Researchers report seroprevalence of three avian flu virus strains in pigs in southern China

Researchers report seroprevalence of three avian flu virus strains in pigs in southern China

Researchers report for the first time the seroprevalence of three strains of avian influenza viruses in pigs in southern China, but not the H5N1 avian influenza virus. Their research, published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, has implications for efforts to protect the public health from pandemics. [More]

Georgia State researcher discover new process to make one-time flu vaccine

A new process to make a one-time, universal influenza vaccine has been discovered by a researcher at Georgia State University's Center for Inflammation, Immunity and Infection and his partners. [More]
mRNA vaccines offer protection against influenza A virus infections in various animal models

mRNA vaccines offer protection against influenza A virus infections in various animal models

CureVac GmbH, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of therapies and vaccines based on mRNA, and the German Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI), Germany, today announced that mRNA vaccines (RNActive) based on the company's RNA technology platform have the potential to provide effective protection against infectious diseases. [More]
Flu protection: an interview with Dr Gillian SteelFisher of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, USA

Flu protection: an interview with Dr Gillian SteelFisher of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, USA

In 2009, a new strain of influenza, or flu, virus emerged and spread rapidly to many countries around the world. It was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in June 2009. [More]

Myths about the influenza vaccine

With cold and flu season upon us, many companies have geared up for what is predicted to be a busy flu season producing 150 million doses of the influenza vaccine, up 17 million from last year. [More]
FMCNA urges dialysis patients to get flu shots

FMCNA urges dialysis patients to get flu shots

With flu season just around the corner, Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), the nation's leading network of dialysis facilities, is urging dialysis patients to get flu shots to protect themselves against this common infectious disease. In October, FMCNA will begin offering at no cost to all of its dialysis patients and staff, flu vaccinations, which protect against both seasonal flu and H1N1 swine flu. [More]