Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Researchers discover how antibiotic linezolid inhibits bacterial growth

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in collaboration with research teams from Pharmacia & Upjohn and Pfizer, have discovered precisely how the antibiotic linezolid inhibits bacterial growth.

11 May 2007

New host species for avian influenza A virus (H5N1)

In a new study published online in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens, Dr. Vincent J. Munster, of Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, and colleagues identify new host species for avian influenza A virus (H5N1) and provide important information on the distinctions between the ecology and epidemiology of various global strains of the virus.

11 May 2007

Breakthrough on cytomegalovirus transmission

Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have shown that cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the salivary glands can be reduced , and in some cases eliminated , through the use of antibodies to enhance the disease-fighting power of the immune system.

11 May 2007

Dealing with a flu pandemic in the UK

Giving local authorities responsibility for implementing pandemic flu plans may not be the best policy, says a senior public health doctor in this week's BMJ.

11 May 2007

Health care professionals should inform sensitive patients about the risks of exposure to air pollutants

If you have some form of lung or cardiovascular disease, has your doctor told you how to check today's "AQI", and what to do if it's over 100?

11 May 2007

Low frequency of resistance to Tamiflu confirmed

New data published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed a low frequency of resistance to Tamiflu (oseltamivir) over 3 influenza seasons (2003:2006).

10 May 2007

Raynaud's disease review by Mayo Clinic Health Letter

There's a medical reason behind cold fingers and toes, when a chill seems to instantly turn extremities white.

10 May 2007

Important for pregnant women to get healthful exercise

Summer isn't the most fun time to be pregnant - heat and sweat add to the ordinary discomfort of pregnancy, and hormonal changes can make women less able to regulate body temperature.

10 May 2007

FluForecast trial predicted high human H5N1 mortality in Indonesia

When H5N1 was thought to be quiescent in 2006, in a prospective open trial, FluForecast, a software program which measures virus gene proteins, predicted high human mortality H5N1 outbreaks to come.

10 May 2007

Origins of modern medicine lie in ancient Egypt not Greece

Scientists examining documents dating back 3,500 years say they have found proof that the origins of modern medicine lie in ancient Egypt and not with Hippocrates and the Greeks.

From The University of Manchester 10 May 2007

Health early warning system through satellite telecoms

When emergency teams are well informed and governments can coordinate their efforts, lives and property can be saved.

10 May 2007

Project unites U.S., Singapore and Indonesia in the fight against bird flu

Indonesia the nation worst hit by bird flu is clearly struggling to cope with the deadly virus but has now joined with close neighbour Singapore to control the spread of the H5N1 virus.

9 May 2007

Predicting the next pandemic

In planning for a future influenza pandemic, most experts agree that two things are known for certain, there will be another pandemic someday, and nobody can predict when.

9 May 2007

Hydrogel to tackle H5N1

Influenza virus H5N1, which caused the recent outbreak of avian flu, may have a new enemy.

9 May 2007

Assessment of state immunization requirements for healthcare workers and patients

A new study shows wide state-to-state variations in laws regulating vaccinations for health care workers and patients, setting the stage for future research to determine whether more laws could serve as effective tools to combat infectious diseases.

9 May 2007

Researchers identify immune dysfunction in melanoma patients

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have begun to shed light on why the human immune system isn't able to stop such cancers as melanoma, suggesting answers that could pave the way for better treatment of this often-fatal illness.

9 May 2007