Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Large avian flu outbreaks more likely to involve duck meat industry

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that 73% of avian flu outbreaks in the UK would not spread beyond the initial infected farm, but larger outbreaks are more likely to involve the duck meat industry.

24 Oct 2007

New diet guidance for those suffering dysphagia

Research at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is leading to potentially lifesaving changes for patients suffering from dysphagia, or swallowing difficulty.

24 Oct 2007

Children may be particularly susceptible to avian influenza

New findings, reported in in the online open access journal Respiratory Research, about how the virus binds to the respiratory tract and lung suggest children may be particularly susceptible to avian influenza.

24 Oct 2007

Influenza vaccine production capacity on the rise

Recent scientific advances and increased vaccine manufacturing capacity have prompted experts to increase their projections of how many pandemic influenza vaccine courses can be made available in the coming years.

24 Oct 2007

Legionnaire's bacterial proteins work together to survive

Proteins within the bacteria that cause Legionnaire's disease can kidnap their own molecular "coffin" and carry it to a safe place within the cell, ensuring their survival, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in Nature Wednesday.

24 Oct 2007

Another bird flu death in Indonesia

Bird flu has claimed another victim in Indonesia bringing the country's death toll from the deadly virus to 89.

24 Oct 2007

In the event of a bird flu pandemic more vaccine will be ready

The World Health Organization (WHO) has revised it's estimate of how much bird flu vaccine could be available were a pandemic scenario to unfold.

24 Oct 2007

New flu pandemic plans for U.S.

In the event of a flu pandemic in the United States new government plans detail who will be the first to get vaccinated.

24 Oct 2007

Zinc can help nursing home residents who are susceptible to pneumonia

When elderly nursing home residents contract pneumonia, it is a blow to their already fragile health.

22 Oct 2007

Stanford seeks volunteers for flu vaccine study

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital are looking for adults and children to participate in three studies that will help them better understand how the flu vaccine works in people of different ages.

22 Oct 2007

Microbix Biosystems granted U.S. patent for its influenza vaccine

Microbix Biosystems Inc. has been granted a patent by the U.S. Patent Office for its technology - VIRUSMAX - which enables vaccine manufacturers to double the amount of influenza vaccine they produce each year.

22 Oct 2007

Hypnotherapy effective for smoking cessation after hospital discharge

Hospitalized patients who smoke may be more likely to quit smoking through the use of hypnotherapy than patients using other smoking cessation methods.

22 Oct 2007

Endobronchial valve improves quality of life in emphysema patients

Emphysema patients whose lungs are implanted with a pencil eraser-sized, one-way endobronchial valve experience significantly improved measures of lung function and report better quality of life, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researcher Frank C. Sciurba, M.D., reported today at CHEST 2007, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians.

22 Oct 2007

Human cytomegalovirus may help doctors treat glioblastoma multiforme

A common human virus may prove useful in attacking the deadliest form of brain tumors, according to a study by researchers at Duke's Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center.

22 Oct 2007

Smoking cessation programs should be tailored to age

A new study shows that obstacles to smoking cessation and motives for quitting smoking vary with age.

22 Oct 2007

Six Sigma practices may provide significant benefits for hospitals

Although Six Sigma practices are widely used in the manufacturing industry, the performance improvement system also may provide significant benefits for hospitals, medical professionals, and patients.

22 Oct 2007

Comedy helps kids deal with pain for longer periods of time

Watching comedy shows helped children tolerate pain for longer periods of time, suggesting that humorous distraction could be used in clinical settings to help children and adolescents better handle painful procedures, according to a study which teamed UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center with the nonprofit organization Rx Laughter.

22 Oct 2007

Scientists find predisposition to bronchiolitis in some babies

Scientists have found that a large proportion of infants who suffer from bronchiolitis have an inherent pre-disposition to the disease.

22 Oct 2007

Sanofi Pasteur receives FDA approval of Menactra meningococcal vaccine for children

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted licensure to expand the indication for its meningococcal conjugate vaccine, Menactra (Meningococcal [Groups A, C, Y and W-135] Polysaccharide Diphtheria Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine), to include children 2 years through 10 years of age.

22 Oct 2007

FDA says OTC cough and cold medicines do not work for young children

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. are warning parents about the use of over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines in young children.

22 Oct 2007