Flu News and Research

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Instant immunity through chemically programmable vaccination and covalent self-assembly

The experiments, thus far performed only in mice, appear to overcome a major drawback of vaccinations - the lag time of days, or even weeks, that it normally takes for immunity to build against a pathogen.

2 Mar 2009

Vaccine breakthrough in battle against bird flu

A vaccine to protect humans from a bird flu pandemic is within reach after a new discovery by researchers at the University of Melbourne, Australia

2 Mar 2009

Antibody recognition of a highly conserved epitope across influenza viruses

The discovery of the molecule, an antibody known as CR6261, is good news for researchers who hope to design a flu vaccine that would give humans lifelong protection against a majority of influenza viruses.

26 Feb 2009

Research points to new antiviral drugs and universal influenza vaccines

WHAT: Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, have identified a common Achilles' heel in a wide range of seasonal and pandemic influenza A viruses.

26 Feb 2009

Supermarkets should offer free flu shots rather than free antibiotics

As influenza season shifts into high gear, with 24 states now reporting widespread activity, the nation's infectious diseases experts are urging supermarket pharmacies with free-antibiotics promotions to educate their customers on when antibiotics are the right prescription-and when they can do more harm than good.

25 Feb 2009

Putting a face on influenza

Influenza results in billions of dollars in lost wages every year, and recent studies found that an estimated 75 million missed workdays a year, and about 200 million days of restricted activity, are due to this vaccine-preventable disease.

24 Feb 2009

Vitamin D may help fight common colds

Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, report investigators from the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Children's Hospital Boston.

23 Feb 2009

Scientists identify lab-made proteins that neutralize a broad range of influenza A viruses

Scientists have identified a small family of lab-made proteins that neutralize a broad range of influenza A viruses, including the H5N1 avian virus, the 1918 pandemic influenza virus and seasonal H1N1 flu viruses.

23 Feb 2009

Babies born in pollen and mold seasons have increased likelihood of wheezing by age two

Newborns whose first few months of life coincide with high pollen and mold seasons are at increased risk of developing early symptoms of asthma, suggests a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

23 Feb 2009

Steroids ineffective in young children with wheeze

New research involving medical experts at The University of Nottingham has found that steroid tablets do not reduce the symptoms of virus-induced wheezing in pre-school children.

23 Feb 2009

Scientists identify lab-made proteins that neutralize multiple strains of seasonal and pandemic flu

22 Feb 2009

Scientists identify human monoclonal antibodies effective against bird flu

Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Dana-Farber), Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported the identification of human monoclonal antibodies (mAb) that neutralize an unprecedented range of influenza A viruses, including avian influenza A (H5N1) virus, previous pandemic influenza viruses, and some seasonal influenza viruses.

22 Feb 2009

Ondansetron shown to be a viable treatment option for opioid addiction

Scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered that a commonly available non-addictive drug can prevent symptoms of withdrawal from opioids with little likelihood of serious side effects.

18 Feb 2009

Fluid buildup in lungs is part of the damage done by the flu

In a fight against respiratory infections, the body typically produces a little fluid to help the lungs generate a productive cough.

10 Feb 2009

Link found between humidity and influenza virus survival and transmission

A new study by Oregon researchers has found a significant correlation between "absolute" humidity and influenza virus survival and transmission.

9 Feb 2009

Camouflaging of viral DNA could be crucial step in progression of cancers

An estimated 15% of cancer cases can be linked to a viral infection, however the biological changes that cause some asymptomatic carriers of a virus to develop full-blown tumors are not well understood.

9 Feb 2009

Discovery of important drug target for influenza

Influenza is and remains a disease to reckon with. Seasonal epidemics around the world kill several hundred thousand people every year.

5 Feb 2009

Can't help being the life of the party?

Maybe you were just born that way. Researchers from Harvard University and the University of California, San Diego have found that our place in a social network is influenced in part by our genes, according to new findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

27 Jan 2009

Fifth bird flu death in China in less than a month

Reports from China's Ministry of Health of a fifth death from bird flu in less than a month shows just how the deadly H5N1 virus remains such a threat.

27 Jan 2009