Cold, Flu & Cough

What is the Common Cold?

The common cold, also known as rhinopharyngitis, is a type of respiratory tract infection caused by a virus.

Risk Factors and Walking Pneumonia Prevention

Does the 'Stomach Flu' Vaccine Prevent Type I Diabetes?

Influenza Infection in Animals

Walking Pneumonia Versus Common Cold

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Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

New website tracks vaccine preventable diseases across the United States

A new website will track the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases across the United States to offer the public, the media, healthcare providers, public health officials, and policymakers reliable and visual information about current disease trends.

5 Aug 2026

Latest hospital rankings place NYU Langone Health at the very top

NYU Langone Health continues to have the most No. 1-ranked specialties and the most top-10 ranked specialties among medical centers in the United States, according to the rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report.

4 Aug 2026

Airplane wastewater pilot shows how airports could track pathogens across borders

Researchers showed that airplane wastewater from a shared US-UK transatlantic route could be collected and analyzed to detect respiratory and enteric pathogen genetic material. The pilot also captured SARS-CoV-2 lineage patterns, including earlier detection of XEC on UK-origin flights, while showing the need for harmonized assays and broader sampling.

4 Aug 2026

Children remain more vulnerable to influenza despite protective antibody levels

Researchers analyzing 1,518 South African household participants found that higher pre-season antibody titers were associated with lower infection risk for three of four influenza viruses studied. Children remained more susceptible after accounting for measured exposure and antibody titers, while younger children shed viral RNA longer than older adults.

3 Aug 2026

Immune cell changes provide new insights into long COVID

Extreme fatigue, a racing pulse, shortness of breath, brain fog, aching joints-the symptoms of long COVID can vary widely, change unpredictably, and be difficult to even recognize as signs of the condition.

2 Aug 2026

Arginine boosts immune defenses against cancer and viral infections

The amino acid arginine helps to keep the human body humming, most notably by synthesizing proteins that carry out a range of cellular processes.

31 Jul 2026

Engineered extracellular vesicles counter deadly cytokine storms in mice

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted some severe consequences of unchecked respiratory disease, including cytokine storm.

31 Jul 2026

Flexible sensing-memory integrated platform advances physiological health monitoring

A wearable health monitoring system that achieves seamless integration of sensing and memory functions is of great significance for real-time physiological signal acquisition and processing.

30 Jul 2026

Pork supply chains may be shaping the global spread of drug-resistant Salmonella

Researchers linked 129,136 global human and swine Salmonella genomes with sampling from a Guangdong pork supply chain to examine how downstream stages relate to antimicrobial resistance. The study suggests slaughterhouse and retail interfaces may concentrate S. 4,[5],12:i:- ST34, resistant strains, and mobile resistance elements, supporting broader One Health surveillance beyond farms.

30 Jul 2026

Deramiocel cell therapy slows muscle and heart damage in advanced DMD

A cell therapy called deramiocel could slow muscle weakening in boys and young men with advanced Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and may also slow heart damage in those who already have heart muscle disease, a phase 3 clinical trial published in The Lancet has found.

29 Jul 2026

Research reveals how a hidden immune cell army defends human lung tissue

New research led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and University of Liverpool (UOL) provides the first comprehensive look at how a hidden immune cell army defends the vast, vulnerable tissue of the human lungs.

28 Jul 2026

Early vitamin B3 treatment may benefit children with rare genetic condition

Children with a rare and often fatal genetic condition may benefit from early treatment with vitamin B3, halting their significant deterioration, according to a new study.

28 Jul 2026

Exeter scientists uncover how doxycycline disarms bacteria

Scientists have discovered two new mechanisms for how a well-established antibiotic works, paving the way for potential development of new antibiotic treatment.

28 Jul 2026

This edible flower could do more than brighten a plate

A review of 76 publications finds that pot marigold contains more than 500 reported secondary metabolites, along with natural pigments, antioxidants, and substantial dietary fiber. Early food studies report promising results in yogurt, bread, pasta, and edible oils, but limited product trials and no clinical evidence currently prevent human health claims.

28 Jul 2026

New cancer vaccine harnesses COVID-19 immune memory to fight tumors

In a discovery that could redefine the future of cancer immunotherapy, scientists from Celloram Inc., University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University have developed a novel cancer vaccine platform that transforms the impact of the largest immunological event in modern history – a synchronized mass immune memory generated through SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination – into a powerful ally against cancer.

27 Jul 2026

Novel bioinspired dressing uses body force to heal wounds

A bioinspired material, developed by scientists at Imperial College London, accelerates wound healing and the repair of human skin.

27 Jul 2026

Wild bird surveillance reveals how H5Nx flu keeps returning to China

Long-term wild bird surveillance across China revealed shifting H5Nx avian influenza patterns, with H5N1, H5N8, and clade 2.3.4.4b viruses changing over time and across migratory flyways. Genomic analyses suggest recent H5Nx detections in China largely reflect repeated reintroductions through migratory birds rather than sustained local circulation.

26 Jul 2026

Engineered probiotic bacteria boost immune attack against pancreatic cancer

Cancer immunotherapies have transformed treatment for many cancers, but pancreatic cancer remains especially difficult to treat. One major reason is that pancreatic tumors often create a "cold" tumor microenvironment, where the tumor prevents immune cells from mounting a strong attack.

24 Jul 2026

Oral antibiotics safely shorten hospital stays for children with pneumonia

Children hospitalized with severe pneumonia can safely switch from injectable to oral antibiotics once they begin to recover, allowing many to return home sooner and complete treatment outside hospital.

23 Jul 2026

Study reveals dynamic remodeling of genome architecture during brain aging

Researchers have discovered that the human brain undergoes widespread age-related changes in genome regulation beginning in midlife that may help explain why aging is the greatest risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

23 Jul 2026