Respiratory Illness News and Research

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Legionnaires may be able to grow in windshield washer fluid

A form of bacteria responsible for respiratory illness, including the deadly pneumonia known as Legionnaire's disease, may be able to grow in windshield washer fluid and was isolated from nearly 75% of school buses tested in one district in Arizona, according to research presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

19 May 2014

State highlights: 'Balance billing' protection in N.Y.; L.A. nursing home complaint backlog

Hospital patients in New York are the latest in the nation to gain legal protection against unexpected bills from doctors who won't accept their insurance.

8 Apr 2014

First Edition: April 7, 2014

Today's headlines include stories about the next round of health law challenges the Obama administration faces as well as the new Medicare Advantage rates scheduled to be announced today.

7 Apr 2014

Researchers identify polio-like syndrome in cluster of children from California

Researchers have identified a polio-like syndrome in a cluster of children from California over a one-year period, according to a case report released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 26 to May 3, 2014.

25 Feb 2014

Coronavirus responsible for MERS is prevalent in camels throughout Saudi Arabia

The coronavirus responsible for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is prevalent in camels throughout Saudi Arabia and has been around for at least 20 years, according to a study to be published on February 25 in mBio-, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

25 Feb 2014

Bubble CPAP device increases survival rate of newborns with severe respiratory illness

The first clinical study of a low-cost neonatal breathing system created by Rice University bioengineering students demonstrated that the device increased the survival rate of newborns with severe respiratory illness from 44 percent to 71 percent.

31 Jan 2014

AIT initiates Phase II clinical trial of NOxCureCF for patients with cystic fibrosis

Advanced Inhalation Therapies, an Israeli drug development company, announced today that it has begun enrollment in Israel for a multicenter, open label, Phase II clinical trial of NOxCureCF, a respiratory treatment for patients with cystic fibrosis.

8 Jan 2014

GSK's FluLaval Quadrivalent vaccine effective in reducing flu cases in children

GlaxoSmithKline plc announced today that a peer-reviewed study issued online by the New England Journal of Medicine has reported that GSK's FluLaval® Quadrivalent reduced flu cases among children ages 3-8 by 55.4% overall and lowered the risk of developing moderate-to-serious flu illness by 73.1%.

12 Dec 2013

ATS Labs offers testing of antimicrobial products for efficacy against H7N9 virus

ATS Labs announced today that they are pleased to offer testing of antimicrobial products for efficacy against avian influenza A (H7N9) virus. Avian influenza A (H7N9) virus, called H7N9 for short, has infected humans in China causing severe respiratory illness.

6 Dec 2013

DNA vaccine demonstrates potential to prevent and treat deadly MERS coronavirus

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that preclinical testing of a DNA synthetic vaccine for the virulent Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS) induced robust and durable immune responses, demonstrating the potential for a SynCon DNA vaccine to prevent and treat this deadly virus.

20 Nov 2013

Diagnosing influenza with rapid tests leads to more efficient care

When patients in the emergency department (ED) are diagnosed with influenza by means of a rapid test, they get fewer unnecessary antibiotics, are prescribed antiviral medications more frequently, and have fewer additional lab tests compared to patients diagnosed with influenza without testing, according to a new study. Published online in the Journal of the Pediatrics Infectious Diseases Society, the findings suggest that diagnosing influenza with a rapid diagnostic test leads to more appropriate, specific, and efficient care.

14 Nov 2013

FMCNA encourages dialysis patients to get vaccinated against flu

With early cases of seasonal flu already being reported in the U.S., Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), the nation's leading network of dialysis facilities, is strongly encouraging dialysis patients to get flu shots to protect themselves against this common infectious disease.

9 Oct 2013

Ten health care innovations could save lives of mothers and children

Ten health care innovations, if brought to scale immediately in low-resource countries, could have the potential to save the lives of some 1.2 million mothers and children in 2015.

26 Sep 2013

Best way to protect infants from influenza is to vaccinate rest of the family

A University of Sydney study has found the best way to protect children under six months of age from influenza, the most vulnerable of the population to the condition, is to vaccinate the rest of the family.

23 Aug 2013

Researchers outline recommendations to lower costs and lead to better care for patients

Medical organizations are participating in a campaign to help clinicians and patients avoid wasteful and sometimes harmful medical interventions. Recently, experts in pediatric and adult health from diverse geographic locations of the United States and from a mix of academic and non- academic settings shared their experiences, consulted their colleagues, and analyzed numerous studies in the medical literature to determine the top recommendations for improving healthcare value.

20 Aug 2013

New species of adenovirus can spread from monkey to human, say researchers

Adenoviruses commonly infect humans, causing colds, flu-like symptoms and sometimes even death, but now UC San Francisco researchers have discovered that a new species of adenovirus can spread from primate to primate, and potentially from monkey to human.

26 Jul 2013

First lots of 2013-2014 seasonal influenza vaccine released for U.S. distribution

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, announced today that the first lots of Fluzone (Influenza Virus Vaccine) for the 2013-2014 season have been released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for U.S. distribution and were shipped July 24.

25 Jul 2013

Common elderberry could be remedy for travellers susceptible to cold and flu, say researchers

The common elderberry could be just the remedy for international travellers susceptible to colds and bugs, according to researchers from the Griffith Health Institute.

17 Jul 2013

Study describes radiologic findings in H7N9 pneumonia

H7N9 pneumonia is characterized by imaging findings that differentiate it from other types of pneumonia, including rapidly progressive changes in the lungs and pulmonary connective tissues, according to the first study to describe radiologic findings in the disease. The results are published online in the journal Radiology.

2 Jul 2013

Coronavirus incubation period may be longer than previously thought

A detailed clinical description of two cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in France, published online in The Lancet today, suggests that the incubation period for the virus may be longer than previously thought, and longer quarantine periods may be required to rule out infection among patient contacts.

29 May 2013