H1N1 News and Research

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Novel influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that was first detected in Mexico and the United States in March and April, 2009. The first novel H1N1 patient in the United States was confirmed by laboratory testing at CDC on April 15, 2009. The second patient was confirmed on April 17, 2009. It was quickly determined that the virus was spreading from person-to-person. On April 22, CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center to better coordinate the public health response. On April 26, 2009, the United States Government declared a public health emergency.

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.

Inside the first chaotic days of the effort to vaccinate America

One tray of COVID-19 vaccine from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer contains 975 doses — way too many for a rural hospital in Arkansas.

22 Dec 2020

Many US health experts underestimated the coronavirus … until it was too late

A year ago, while many Americans were finishing their holiday shopping and finalizing travel plans, doctors in Wuhan, China, were battling a mysterious outbreak of pneumonia with no known cause.

21 Dec 2020

Specific genetic target could help explain the variation in COVID-19 effects

The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, has identified a specific genetic target that could help explain the tremendous variation in how sick those infected with COVID-19 become.

17 Dec 2020

COVID-19 vaccination may potentially cut hospitalizations, deaths by 60% in Ontario, Canada

A new study suggests an impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on SARS-CoV-2 attack rate, and hospitalizations, even with no protection against infection.

14 Dec 2020

Obesity increases the risk of severe COVID-19, study finds

Researchers reveal that being overweight and obese are common risk factors for developing severe COVID-19. However, they suggested further assessment of metabolic parameters, including body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio, and insulin levels, to estimate the risk.

9 Dec 2020

Mount Sinai study shows strong immune response, durability of universal influenza virus vaccine

A vaccine that induces immune responses to a wide spectrum of influenza virus strains and subtypes has produced strong and durable results in early-stage clinical trials in humans, Mount Sinai researchers have found.

7 Dec 2020

Xylitol and grapefruit seed extract shows promise in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection, study finds

A team of researchers at the Feinberg School of Medicine demonstrated that xylitol and grapefruit seed extract (GSE) could prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. These can be used as a nasal spray to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

7 Dec 2020

Come for your eye exam, leave with a band-aid on your arm

With multiple COVID-19 vaccines rapidly heading toward approval, optometrists and dentists are pushing for the authority to immunize patients during routine eye exams and dental cleanings.

3 Dec 2020

Immune mechanism in COVID-19 patients triggers cytokine storm

Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have demonstrated for the first time that in COVID-19 patients an immune mechanism known as the inflammasome participates in activation of the inflammatory process that can damage several organs and even lead to death.

2 Dec 2020

Could the keto diet help prevent or mitigate severe COVID-19?

A new study published in the journal of Translational Medicine reports that the ketogenic diet (KD) may be useful in this area, with its track history of effectual reduction of fat mass, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, and consequent improvement of cardiovascular health.

30 Nov 2020

Thromboembolism in COVID-19 patients associated with higher risk of mortality

While respiratory issues continue to be the most common symptom of a COVID-19 infection, new research indicates the disease could also be associated with hypercoagulability, or increased tendency of the blood to clot.

23 Nov 2020

Carrageenan-based composite nasal spray may help prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection

A team of researchers at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom formulated a spray that contains polysaccharides known for their mucoadhesive antiviral properties for prophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

19 Nov 2020

Study shows limited influence of BMI on shaping SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses

A new study by researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard showed that obesity is not tied to the increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the team demonstrated that obesity is associated with increased manifestations of symptoms in mild COVID-19 infections, suggesting that obesity impacts the pathophysiology of COVID-19.

16 Nov 2020

Green tea and some fruit juices inhibit SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

Green tea, chokeberry juice, and pomegranate juice killed flu and SARS-CoV-2 viruses when incubated with the viruses in vitro. Thus, oral rinsing using these might be effective in preventing COVID-19.

5 Nov 2020

Texas A&M study identifies four significant predictors of COVID-19 cases

In March 2020, New York City, an icon of America, was unfortunately named an early epicenter of the novel coronavirus. Now seven months later, America faces a new surge in coronavirus cases and researchers at Texas A&M University hope to provide information and context to help with the battle ahead.

4 Nov 2020

Social norms can influence mask use behavior

To mask or not to mask - and which mask to use? With public health guidance about masks in the United States confused by political hedging, clarity around mask use is increasingly important, especially as the western U.S. battles the twin crises of wildfire smoke and COVID-19.

28 Oct 2020

Scientists identify new therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2

To identify new potential therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2, a team of scientists at the New York Genome Center, New York University, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, performed a genome-scale, loss-of-function CRISPR screen to systematically knockout all genes in the human genome.

27 Oct 2020