Swine Flu News and Research

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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.

Hand sanitizers become popular promotional products

The Advertising Specialty Institute® announced that hand sanitizers now rival pens as the most popular logoed items that companies are giving away to clients and employees.

23 Dec 2009

UV Flu Technologies introduces the UV 400 VIRAGUARD air purification product

UV Flu Technologies, Inc. wishes to advise it has recently acquired the assets of AmAirpure, Inc. in order to implement management's plans to move forward as an innovative developer, manufacturer and distributor of bio technology products initially targeting the rapidly growing Indoor Air Quality("IAQ") industry sector.

22 Dec 2009

Study results of CSL’s pandemic H1N1 2009 vaccine published in JAMA

CSL Limited, Australia’s leading biopharmaceutical company, announced the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has published data from a clinical trial conducted in Australia to study CSL’s pandemic H1N1 2009 ‘swine’ flu vaccine.

22 Dec 2009

Findings may help develop new antiviral drugs for influenza

Investigators at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham), Mount Sinai School of Medicine (Mount Sinai), the Salk Institute for Biological Studies (Salk) and the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) have identified 295 human cell factors that influenza A strains must harness to infect a cell, including the currently circulating swine-origin H1N1.

22 Dec 2009

Recent releases in Global Health

A Scientific American article examines recent efforts to tackle neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The author writes "NTDs have plagued humankind for thousands of years. … What is new, however, is that donors, drugmakers, health ministries in low- and middle-income countries, the World Health Organization (WHO), and public-private partnerships are linking their efforts to combat the NTDs in a more coordinated and systematic way."

18 Dec 2009

H1N1 cases still increasing in many countries; WHO to begin shipping donated vaccines within weeks

With many countries continuing to report a growing number of H1N1 (swine flu) cases, Keiji Fukuda, special adviser to the WHO director general on pandemic influenza, said Thursday it was too early to declare the pandemic over, the Washington Post reports.

18 Dec 2009

Also in Global Health news: Hospital births in Guinea-Bissau; drought in E. Africa; drug-resistant malaria; U.S. response to H1N1

IRIN examines the increase in the number of women giving birth in hospital settings rather than delivery by a traditional birth attendant - a behavior that health officials hope will lead to a drop in the country's maternal mortality rate. "According to UNFPA, 38 percent of women gave birth in a hospital in 2009, up from 29 percent in 2003," the news service writes.

17 Dec 2009

Santa Claus: A public health pariah?

Santa should share Rudolf's snack of carrots and celery sticks rather than brandy and mince pies and swap his reindeer for a bike or walk, says a public health expert in the Christmas issue published on bmj.com today.

17 Dec 2009

Scientists draw on bacterial decision-making success to guide human choices on H1N1 vaccine

Bacteria inhabited our planet for more than 4 billion years before humans showed up, and they'll probably outlive us by as many eons more. That suggests they may have something to teach us.

17 Dec 2009

Essilor International to acquire FGX International Holdings

FGX International Holdings Limited today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to merge with a subsidiary of Essilor International of Charenton-le-Pont, France. Essilor shares trade on the NYSE Euronext Paris market and are included in the CAC 40 index.

16 Dec 2009

Majority of workers believe swine flu may impact workflow and productivity

Adecco Group North America's latest American Workplace Insights Survey finds that 77% of workers(1) think their workplace will be impacted in some way by the swine flu.

16 Dec 2009

Dangers of H1N1 flu contaminated touch surfaces tour kicks-off

Dr. Bob Arnot kicks-off a national educational tour on the silent threat of H1N1 flu contaminated touch surfaces and the new biotechnology in EPA-registered SpectraSan 24 that kills bacteria, fungus and viruses including Influenza A (H1N1 or Swine Flu).

15 Dec 2009

Scientists create Pandemic Influenza Planning Tool to model the spread of pandemic influenza

As communities brace for rising wintertime influenza cases, scientists are developing a mathematical and visual analytic toolkit to help health officials quickly analyze pandemics and craft better response strategies.

15 Dec 2009

FDA grants EUA for DxNA’s 2009 H1N1 influenza virus diagnostic test

DxNA announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its 2009 H1N1 influenza virus diagnostic test for use in DxNA's GeneSTAT(TM) detection platform.

14 Dec 2009

Study supports the use of SinoFresh Nasal Spray to prevent and decrease H1N1 virus

SinoFresh HealthCare Products, Inc. announced the recent successful initial pilot animal study of the SinoFresh Nasal Spray product for use in preventing and decreasing the severity of H1N1 ("swine flu") virus.

14 Dec 2009

Clinical trial of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine

HIV-infected adults currently are being recruited to participate in a clinical trial of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine. The study, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health, will enroll approximately 240 men and women between the ages of 18 and 64.

13 Dec 2009

About 47M infected, 10,000 dead from H1N1 in U.S., CDC says

U.S. health officials on Thursday announced nearly 10,000 people in the U.S. had died from H1N1 (swine flu) since the virus was first reported in April, the New York Times reports.

11 Dec 2009

Pertinent questions about H1N1 Influenza answered by NERAC

Municipalities in Massachusetts should assume that the H1N1 Influenza is now present in their communities, schools, and work places, and should take appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of this virus as well as the seasonal flu.

11 Dec 2009

Flu vaccine shortages in developing countries could destabilize global security, says former WHO deputy head

"Flu vaccine shortages in developing nations may destabilize global security should the H1N1 [swine flu] virus become more deadly … David Heymann, a former deputy head of the World Health Organization" said Monday, Bloomberg reports.

10 Dec 2009

Nano Mask signs a three year agreement to distribute Wein Products respirators

Nano Mask, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a three year agreement with Wein Products, a manufacturer of disposable respirators, to distribute that company's products as it continues to complete the development of its own proprietary disposable NanoMask respirator and to obtain regulatory approval for the NanoMask.

10 Dec 2009