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

Risk Factors and Walking Pneumonia Prevention

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Understanding how biological sex and gender inequities contribute to suboptimal sepsis treatment

Sepsis continues to be a leading cause of mortality in ICUs worldwide. Despite advances in early detection and treatment, standardized antibiotic dosing frequently ignores patient-level variability-especially that associated with sex-related physiology and gender-influenced care disparities.

31 Oct 2025

Global study suggests potential for universal vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae

A vaccine that tackles the bacteria that cause up to 200 million childhood infections every year could be possible, experts say.

31 Oct 2025

Novel nanoparticles can deliver an immune-stimulating molecule directly to ovarian tumors

Cancer immunotherapy, which uses drugs that stimulate the body's immune cells to attack tumors, is a promising approach to treating many types of cancer. However, it doesn't work well for some tumors, including ovarian cancer.

31 Oct 2025

Common viruses sharply raise heart attack and stroke risk, major global review shows

In the largest synthesis to date, researchers reviewed 155 studies linking viral infections, including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, HIV, hepatitis C, and shingles, to increased risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure. The findings highlight viral infection prevention and vaccination as underappreciated strategies for cardiovascular protection.

30 Oct 2025

Bowhead whale’s secret to long life revealed: precision DNA repair may hold clues for human aging

Researchers discovered that bowhead whales achieve extraordinary longevity and cancer resistance through highly efficient and precise DNA repair mechanisms. A whale-specific protein, CIRBP, enhances genome stability even in human cells, revealing a potential pathway to strengthen DNA repair and slow aging.

30 Oct 2025

Understanding the role of m6A methylation in acute lung injury pathogenesis

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a critical clinical condition characterized by diffuse inflammation of the lung parenchyma and intractable hypoxemia, typically caused by factors, such as trauma, pneumonia, shock, and sepsis.

30 Oct 2025

Rapamycin shows promise in treating cold tumors with specific gene mutation

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) emerged in the US about 15 years ago as an exciting class of cancer treatments that have achieved complete and durable remissions for thousands of people with end-stage metastatic cancers.

29 Oct 2025

Unlocking the secrets of NMDA receptors for better brain health

As information zings from cell to cell inside the brain, bursts of electricity spur its transmission. At Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), scientists have turned their attention to the tiny pores that let charged ions enter a cell-and the molecular gatekeepers that help control them.

29 Oct 2025

Understanding age-related changes in T cells and vaccine response

As flu season approaches and public health officials roll out their annual push for vaccination, Allen Institute scientists are learning why vaccines can trigger a weaker response in older adults, around age 65, and what can be done to improve them.

29 Oct 2025

Some acute and chronic viral infections linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease

In the weeks following a bout of influenza or COVID, the risk of heart attack or stroke may rise dramatically, and chronic infections such as HIV may increase the long-term risk of serious cardiovascular disease events, according to new, independent research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

29 Oct 2025

Lessons from COVID-19 could help communities better prepare for the next pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided researchers with a wealth of information on contemporary successes and failures in combating an emerging pathogen.

28 Oct 2025

Revolutionizing patient discharge with text message-based technology

Every day, millions of people are discharged after extended hospital stays, but matching these patients with appropriate care facilities can be arduous, often reliant on months-old, inaccurate data.

27 Oct 2025

Major new study may lead to earlier detection of lung cancers

A major new study, which has recently begun recruiting, is hoped to lead to earlier detection of lung cancers.

27 Oct 2025

Doctors muffled as Florida moves to end decades of childhood vaccination mandates

Florida plans to end nearly a half-century of required childhood immunizations against diseases that have killed and maimed millions of children. Many critics of the decision, including doctors, are afraid to speak up against it.

27 Oct 2025

Ancient DNA uncovers paratyphoid and relapsing fever among Napoleonic troops

Scientists from the Institut Pasteur have genetically analyzed the remains of former soldiers who retreated from Russia in 1812.

24 Oct 2025

New epimodulation approach improves outbreak forecasts

During an epidemic, some of the most critical questions for healthcare decision-makers are the hardest ones to answer: When will the epidemic peak, how many people will need treatment at once and how long will that peak level of demand for care last? Timely answers can help hospital administrators, community leaders and clinics decide how to deploy staff and other resources most effectively.

24 Oct 2025

Study reveals impact of viral combinations on infant respiratory illness severity

A new study led by researchers at National Jewish Health has revealed that, while a wide range of viruses can cause lower respiratory tract illnesses (LRIs) in infants, certain viruses and viral combinations dramatically increase the risk of severe disease.

24 Oct 2025

New database transforms evidence-based care for children with lower respiratory tract infections

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) remain the most common illnesses in children, accounting for up to two-thirds of pediatric outpatient and inpatient cases in China.

24 Oct 2025

A parent's guide to manage pediatric respiratory illnesses during the virus season

As we head deeper into fall and toward the holiday season, your little one may start to exhibit symptoms like a runny nose, cough, or fever.

24 Oct 2025

How COVID mRNA vaccines may make cancer treatments more effective

Researchers found that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, when given within 100 days of starting immune checkpoint inhibitors, were linked to significantly longer survival in lung and melanoma cancer patients. The vaccines trigger a powerful type-I interferon response that primes tumors to become more responsive to immunotherapy.

23 Oct 2025