Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Vaping trends and detrimental effects of e-cigarette usage

In recent news, researchers have found that the liquid used in e-cigarettes, when heated, reacts to form irritating chemicals called acetals, formed from chemicals used to flavor and perfume foods and other commercial products.

31 Jul 2019

Smartphone ‘virus scanner’ could help governments contain viral outbreaks

Researchers have created and tested a miniature virus-scanning device for smartphones that is 100 times more sensitive than commercial influenza testing kits.

31 Jul 2019

Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat pneumonia does more harm than good

A new study by researchers at Intermountain Healthcare has found that administering broad-spectrum antibiotics, which act against a wide range of disease-causing bacteria, to treat patients with pneumonia often does more harm than good.

31 Jul 2019

Smartphone virus scanner could help tackle the spread of diseases

The current leading method to assess the presence of viruses and other biological markers of disease is effective but large and expensive. It is prohibitively difficult for use in many situations, especially due to certain economic and geographic factors.

31 Jul 2019

Cigarette smoke can make MRSA bacterium more resistant to antibiotics

Cigarette smoke can make MRSA bacterial strains more resistant to antibiotics, new research from the University of Bath has shown.

30 Jul 2019

Scientists discover lung cell that can hustle to repair its damaged DNA and survive influenza

Scientists at Duke University have identified one kind of lung cell that can hustle to repair its damaged DNA and survive an attack of the influenza A virus while other kinds of cells around it die in droves.

30 Jul 2019

Researchers discover SIGN-R1 molecule that recognizes multiple variants of influenza

A team of researchers from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB, affiliated to USI Università della Svizzera italiana, Switzerland) have discovered and identified a molecule - SIGN-R1 - capable of recognizing the multiple variants of influenza and consequently 'directing' the immune response in individuals affected by the disease.

30 Jul 2019

Physicians more likely to recommend antihistamines for respiratory infections in children

For respiratory infections in children under 12, physicians are increasingly more likely to recommend antihistamines and less likely to recommend cough and cold medicines, a Rutgers study found.

29 Jul 2019

Age is just a number when considering presidential candidates, study says

Age is not a relevant factor in judging the fitness of presidential candidates to hold the nation's highest office, according to the first-ever study that estimates the longevity and survival probabilities of candidates seeking the White House.

27 Jul 2019

Children with medical emergencies get only limited help during airline flights

Children afflicted with medical emergencies during commercial airline trips tend to have common ailments such as vomiting, fever or allergic reactions - events that should be easily treated, according to a study led by Duke Health researchers.

25 Jul 2019

Researchers discover new blood-borne marker for atrial damage

Atrial fibrillation is a common abnormal heart rhythm. It is treated either with medications or by applying heat or extreme cold to destroy small specific tissue areas in the atrium. This inevitably causes small wounds.

24 Jul 2019

Scientists find surprising insight into Legionnaires’ disease

The incidence of Legionnaires' disease has increased in the past two decades. The natural habitat of Legionella is freshwater biotopes, where they mainly reproduce in amoebae.

24 Jul 2019

NIH contract awarded to UAB for acute flaccid myelitis natural history study

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded the University of Alabama at Birmingham approximately $10 million over 5 years to study acute flaccid myelitis, a rare but serious condition which causes muscle weakness and paralysis.

23 Jul 2019

Common feature that makes cancer cells appear bloated could be their potential weak spot

In a study using yeast cells and data from cancer cell lines, Johns Hopkins University scientists report they have found a potential weak spot among cancer cells that have extra sets of chromosomes, the structures that carry genetic material.

23 Jul 2019

High-resolution images offer clues to improve design of anti-nausea drugs

A new study using a special type of electron microscope using samples cooled to extremely cold temperatures provides critical information for drug developers seeking to reduce nausea and vomiting side effects of cancer treatments.

23 Jul 2019

Virginia Tech graduate student wins NIH award to map unexplored area of the brain

As you read this article, your eyes are capturing light and your brain is decoding it into tangible fragments of information - things like colors, edges, words, and ideas.

22 Jul 2019

Researchers identify toxin responsible for Legionella growth

A team of scientists led by EMBL group leader Sagar Bhogaraju and Ivan Dikic of Goethe University, Frankfurt, discovered that the toxin SidJ in Legionella bacteria enforces a unique modification on human proteins and helps legionella grow inside human cells.

22 Jul 2019