Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Genetic mutation appears to help people fight off MRSA

Researchers have discovered that people who carry a certain genetic mutation may have a greater chance of fighting off MRSA infections.

18 Sep 2019

Patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma may benefit from radiation, experience reduced side effects

Treating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with radiation therapy as an additional treatment while they wait for their CAR T cells to be manufactured may reduce the risk of CAR T therapy side effects once it is administered, according to a new study from researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

18 Sep 2019

Researchers receive $12 million grant to develop flu vaccine against many viral strains

Patrick Wilson, PhD, professor of medicine and rheumatology at the University of Chicago, and a group of researchers from three other institutions have received a Grand Challenge for Universal Influenza Vaccine Development grant – a $12 million initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Flu Lab.

18 Sep 2019

Researchers identify an unexpected genetic plasticity in bat-borne influenza viruses

Bat-borne influenza viruses enter host cells by utilizing surface exposed MHC-II molecules of various species, including humans.

18 Sep 2019

Researchers discover link between alcohol-producing gut bacteria and NAFLD

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the build-up of fat in the liver due to factors other than alcohol. It affects about a quarter of the adult population globally, but its cause remains unknown.

17 Sep 2019

Range of Valley fever expected to increase substantially, say UCI scientists

Valley fever is endemic to hot and dry regions such as the southwestern United States and California's San Joaquin Valley, but scientists at the University of California, Irvine predict that climate change will cause the fungal infection's range to more than double in size this century, reaching previously unaffected areas across the western U.S.

17 Sep 2019

Stopping cold viruses dead by blocking replication

The common cold virus (and its more deadly cousins, the viruses that cause polio and acute flaccid myelitis) may just have met its nemesis. In a recent study published in the journal Nature Microbiology on September 16, 2019, scientists reported a potentially successful new approach to stop cold viruses from replicating inside human cells – by blocking the formation of a protein that is vital to this process.

17 Sep 2019

No more tears: immunization without needles

A new study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology reports a novel skin vaccine patch which could help effective and safe immunization by disrupting the permeability of the skin, providing a convenient and non-invasive alternative to immunization shots. This innovative technique now needs to be tested in humans.

17 Sep 2019

Uncovering new T cell regulatory processes could help treat autoimmune disease

One of the important cells involved in the immune response is the T follicular helper (Tfh) cell. These are important in the normal process of antibody production following immunization, for instance. However, they are also abnormally increased in number in patients with autoimmune disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.

16 Sep 2019

Stanford-UCSF researchers report new cure for common cold in human cells and mice

Temporarily disabling a single protein inside our cells might be able to protect us from the common cold and other viral diseases, according to a study led by researchers at Stanford University and University of California-San Francisco.

16 Sep 2019

Climate change likely to accelerate spread of valley fever

Valley fever is endemic to hot and dry regions like the southwestern United States and California's San Joaquin Valley, but a new study predicts climate change will cause the fungal infection's range to more than double in size this century, reaching previously unaffected areas across the western U.S.

16 Sep 2019

Study shows how the interplay of two cytokines affects development of Tfh cells

The body's immune response fights against infectious disease, and it safeguards against future infections through vaccination.

15 Sep 2019

West Nile Virus samples found 10 miles apart came from different places, NAU scientist finds

After sequencing more than 400 different genomes of the West Nile Virus, an NAU scientist discovered the two reports of West Nile Virus in Coconino County came from two different places. One migrated north from the Phoenix area. The other is a bit more of a mystery.

15 Sep 2019