Respiratory Tract Infections News and Research

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Breast pumps could be transmitting asthma-causing bacteria in babies, finds study

Mothers across the world use breast pumps to pump put the milk that is fed to their babies. A new study has revealed that these pumps may not be safe and may be contaminated with bacteria that can cause asthma in the babies later in life. The results of this study were published in the latest issue of the journal Cell Host & Microbe.

13 Feb 2019

Educational intervention for Chinese doctors reduces unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions

An educational intervention aimed at rural Chinese primary care doctors reduced antibiotic prescriptions for childhood upper respiratory tract infections by 36%, even a year after the intervention ended, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine by Xiaolin Wei from Dalla Lana School of Public Health of the University of Toronto in Canada, Qiang Sun from School of Health Care Management of the Shandong University in China, and colleagues.

6 Feb 2019

Megaphages detected in the intestinal tract of humans who eat high-fiber, low-fat diet

Viruses plague bacteria just as viruses like influenza plague humans. Some of the largest of these so-called bacteriophages have now been found in the human gut, where they periodically devastate bacteria just as seasonal outbreaks of flu lay humans low, according to a new study led by University of California, Berkeley, scientists.

29 Jan 2019

Scientist named as one of top 10 innovators for fighting superbugs

University of Adelaide scientist Dr Katharina Richter has been named as one of the top 10 innovators in the MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 competition for the Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and Taiwan region.

23 Nov 2018

Researchers find no link between 'allergy friendly' dogs and lower risk of asthma

Growing up with dogs is linked to a lower risk of asthma, especially if the dogs are female, a new study from Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University in Sweden shows. However, the researchers found no relation between 'allergy friendly' breeds and a lower risk of asthma. The study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

15 Nov 2018

Study shows how pneumococci challenge the immune system

Pneumococci are the most common cause of respiratory tract infections, such as otitis and sinusitis, as well as of severe infections like pneumonia and meningitis.

12 Nov 2018

Air pollution kills 600,000 children with India being worst affected says WHO

A report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that air pollution is responsible for killing nearly 600,000 children every year. Among millions of other children affected with the effects of air pollution it leads to severe symptoms of various conditions such as asthma, respiratory diseases, loss of intelligence, excessive weight gain and ear infections.

31 Oct 2018

FDA approves update to Rituxan label to include information on treatment of rare forms of vasculitis

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an update to the Rituxan® (rituximab) label to include information on follow up treatment of adult patients with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis and Microscopic Polyangiitis who have achieved disease control with induction treatment.

22 Oct 2018

Genentech announces clinical data from studies investigating risdiplam in spinal muscular atrophy

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced today interim clinical data from the dose-finding parts of the pivotal FIREFISH and SUNFISH studies investigating risdiplam in spinal muscular atrophy.

3 Oct 2018

Study: Infants using popular anti-reflux medicines are not at increased risk of lung infections

New University of Otago research shows infants using popular anti-reflux medicines like omeprazole are not at increased risk of pneumonia or other lower respiratory tract infections, contrary to findings from other international studies.

19 Sep 2018

Probiotic supplementation may reduce use of antibiotics, scientific analysis shows

Global demand exists for new ways to reduce antibiotic use, given the urgent public health threat of antibiotic resistance.

17 Sep 2018

Paracetamol use in infancy may increase risk of developing asthma by the age of 18

Children who take paracetamol during their first two years of life may be at a higher risk of developing asthma by the age of 18, especially if they have a particular genetic makeup, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress today.

17 Sep 2018

QUT researcher highlights growing impact of non-prescription antibiotics supply in pharmacies

With increased use of antibiotics worldwide linked to growing antibiotic resistance, a world-first study co-authored by a QUT researcher has highlighted the growing impact of non-prescription supply of antibiotics in community pharmacies, and the urgent need for better enforcement of laws.

20 Jul 2018

Tonsil removal as a child could mean chest infections risk as adults

A large study has found that removal of the tonsils as a child can mean that the individual is more susceptible to chest infections as an adult. The study appeared in the latest issue of the journal JAMA Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.

7 Jun 2018

Biomarker blood test does not appear to curb antibiotic overuse, shows new study

Overall antibiotic use was not curbed by giving physicians the results of biomarker tests in patients with suspected lower respiratory tract infections, according to findings from the Procalcitonin Antibiotic Consensus Trial.

21 May 2018

Higher belly fat levels linked to greater risk of vitamin D deficiency

Higher levels of belly fat are associated with lower vitamin D levels in obese individuals, according to data presented in Barcelona at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2018.

21 May 2018

Extra sunlight in late summer could help reduce severity of flu season

People getting more rays of sunlight -; and therefore vitamin D -; in August and September could help reduce the severity of flu season, according to a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper co-authored by a University of Kansas economist.

2 Mar 2018

FDA approves first treatment to reduce risk of NSCLC progression

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Imfinzi (durvalumab) for the treatment of patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors are not able to be surgically removed (unresectable) and whose cancer has not progressed after treatment with chemotherapy and radiation (chemoradiation).

18 Feb 2018

Past exposures influence immune response in children with acute respiratory tract infections

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) are the leading global cause of death in early childhood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

12 Jan 2018

Probiotics and xylitol chewing gum appear to have no effect in alleviating sore throat symptoms

The use of probiotics and xylitol chewing gum to alleviate sore throat symptoms -- as an alternative to antibiotics -- appears to have no effect, according to a randomized controlled trial (RCT) published in CMAJ.

18 Dec 2017