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.

Walking Pneumonia Versus Common Cold

Influenza Infection in Animals

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

Walking Pneumonia Versus Common Cold

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Risk Factors and Walking Pneumonia Prevention

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Scientists find mechanism behind bird flu infections in dairy cattle

When H5N1 bird flu first began infecting U.S. cattle in early 2024, diagnosis was elusive, because in cows, the disease looked completely different.

19 Jun 2026

NYU Langone performs the world's first HIV-positive-to-HIV-positive lung transplant

The world's first HIV-positive-to-HIV-positive lung transplant was performed at NYU Langone Health.

19 Jun 2026

Breast milk nutrient boosts long-term immune system development

Trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), the most abundant trans fatty acid found in human breast milk, helps boost immune system development and has long-lasting effects on immune system health in mice, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Chicago.

18 Jun 2026

New spatial map reveals treatment vulnerabilities in bladder cancer

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a spatial map of muscle-invasive bladder cancer, revealing how tumor cell states, immune environments and therapeutic vulnerabilities are organized within tumors.

18 Jun 2026

Quest Diagnostics study uncovers widespread community reservoirs of deadly gut bacterium

A common bacterial strain that lives naturally in people's guts can cause a dangerous or deadly infection for some, especially when it becomes multidrug-resistant and causes chronic urinary-tract infections (UTIs) in elderly women.

18 Jun 2026

New diagnostic tools aim to bridge long Covid knowledge gap

Five years after the first cases, patients with long Covid continue to go through months or years before receiving a diagnosis.

18 Jun 2026

Emergency departments could help boost annual flu vaccination rates

A University of California, Riverside-led study of more than 3,200 emergency department (ED) patients across the United States found that while awareness of influenza vaccination is widespread, most adults seen in EDs are not up to date on their annual flu vaccine.

17 Jun 2026

Deep learning identifies novel compounds against antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea

With tens of millions of annual cases, gonorrhea is the second most frequently reported sexually transmitted infection (STI). Alone in the U.S., over 600,000 cases are reported each year.

17 Jun 2026

AI diagnostic errors raise hospital blame unless doctors stay deeply involved

A two-study vignette experiment found that people attributed more responsibility to hospitals and were more likely to consider filing a complaint or taking legal action when missed diagnoses involved AI rather than a physician alone. Interactive physician involvement reduced negative reactions, while autonomous or sequential AI-human collaboration did not meaningfully improve responses compared with AI-only diagnosis.

17 Jun 2026

Preoperative radiation boosts immunotherapy response in brain metastases

A new study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center demonstrated that pre-operative radiation therapy for brain metastases not only targets tumor cells directly but also can activate immune pathways that can make tumors more receptive to immunotherapy.

17 Jun 2026

Digital heart twins could improve atrial fibrillation treatment planning

A cross-University paper led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London, published in the Journal of Physiology shows how better 'digital twins' could help doctors treating people with Atrial Fibrillation.

17 Jun 2026

Tirzepatide activates calorie-burning brown fat to combat obesity

Tirzepatide doesn't just help people lose weight; it also activates brown adipose tissue, representing a major milestone in obesity research, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

16 Jun 2026

Wastewater analysis offers novel approach to track HIV burden

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) detection in wastewater offers a novel approach to monitor the virus in communities.

15 Jun 2026

Just ten viral particles can infect cows with bird flu

Just 10 viral particles of the H5N1 bird flu that caused hundreds of influenza outbreaks in U.S. dairy cattle can cause infection in cows, a new study shows.

15 Jun 2026

Engineered silica nanoparticles destroy prostate tumors in preclinical study

Prostate-targeted, engineered nanoparticles made of amorphous silica are effective in killing prostate tumors directly while enhancing anti-tumor immunity, according to a preclinical study led by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine and the Cornell College of Engineering.

15 Jun 2026

The importance of ketones from a clinical and medical perspective

In this interview, News-Medical talks to Marcin Pacek, senior director of medical and scientific affairs in Europe for Nova Biomedical, about the importance of ketones in a medical and clinical setting.

From Nova Biomedical 15 Jun 2026

New mRNA flu vaccine offers broader protection against influenza strains

A new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that an investigational mRNA influenza vaccine helps the immune system recognize a wider range of influenza viruses than today's standard flu shot, offering stronger and potentially longer-lasting protection.

15 Jun 2026

Australia’s diphtheria outbreak shows why boosters, antibiotics, and better housing all matter

A 131-case diphtheria outbreak in Australia’s Northern Territory showed how toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae can re-emerge even in highly vaccinated populations. Genomic and epidemiological evidence linked most cases to a dominant ST381 strain, with transmission shaped by overcrowding, poor skin health, and persistent health inequities.

15 Jun 2026

New poll reveals political divide over public water fluoridation

As the debate over the value of adding fluoride to public drinking water percolates in communities across the nation, a new nationally representative survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania finds Americans sharply divided over the use of fluoride in public drinking water.

12 Jun 2026

Leading AI models ace many vaccine questions but falter on clinical rules

A multilingual benchmark of 1,886 vaccine-related questions found that large language models answered most items accurately across English, Spanish, and Chinese. However, performance varied by vaccine type, language, and prompting method, with persistent errors in dosing, contraindications, age eligibility, and other clinically sensitive guidance.

11 Jun 2026