Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

New lung cancer guides aim to drive better outcomes and care

Two new, national guides that aim to drive better outcomes and care for all people affected by lung cancer were released by Cancer Australia today. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer in Australia with an estimated 25 people dying every day from the disease in 2018.

22 Nov 2018

New diagnostics based on nanopore analytics and AI can identify single influenza virions

Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory disease of global importance, which causes millions of infections annually with the ever-present risk of a serious outbreak. Passive vaccination is the only method available for partial control of the virus.

21 Nov 2018

Starved ticks try harder to find hosts

Ticks are hardy little brutes that can go as long as a year without a meal. Now scientists at the University of Cincinnati say the hungrier ticks are, the harder they try to find you or other hosts. The findings could have implications for the spread of tick-borne disease such as Lyme or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

21 Nov 2018

Researchers awarded $7 million funding in Pancreatic Cancer Collective’s 'New Therapies Challenge'

The Pancreatic Cancer Collective, the strategic partnership of the Lustgarten Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer, has awarded a total of $7 million in first-round "New Therapies Challenge" grants to seven teams of top cancer researchers to explore new pancreatic cancer treatments, the American Association for Cancer Research, the Scientific Partner of SU2C, announced today.

21 Nov 2018

Scientists say worst year to be alive was 536 AD

Human history has seen its ups and downs and researchers have questioned the worst year for humans to be alive in. It could be the years of the flu pandemic or that of the Black Death or even the years of the Holocaust.

21 Nov 2018

Self-care program for COPD patients reduces emergency room visits and burdensome symptoms

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that a program designed to enhance self-care and lead to more seamless management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults successfully reduced rates of emergency room visits and hospitalization, and the burdensome symptoms and limitations caused by the condition.

21 Nov 2018

Vanderbilt researchers isolate antibody that can neutralize West Nile virus

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and colleagues have isolated a human monoclonal antibody that can "neutralize" the West Nile virus and potentially prevent a leading cause of viral encephalitis (brain inflammation) in the United States.

21 Nov 2018

Scientists discover toxic bullet involved in bacterial competition

A bacterial toxin that allows an infectious strain of bacteria to defeat its competitors has been discovered by Imperial College London scientists.

20 Nov 2018

People from cold regions tend to drink more finds study

A new study has shown that people who live in cold and dark regions tend to be heavy drinkers. The data comes from participants of around 193 countries and shows that there is a connection between weather, alcohol consumption as well as alcohol associated liver disease.

20 Nov 2018

Vitamin D critical to early development of vertebrates, study suggests

New research from Portland State University finds vitamin D, or a lack thereof can trigger or suspend embryonic development in a species of fish. The study also provides evidence suggesting the vitamin is critical to the early development of vertebrates generally.

20 Nov 2018

Study sheds light on the infection mechanism of influenza virus

New research has taken a step towards understanding how highly pathogenic influenza viruses such as deadly bird flu infect humans.

20 Nov 2018

Concomitant use of sleeping pills and opioids found to prevalent among people with Alzheimer’s disease

One in five people with Alzheimer's disease who use a benzodiazepine are also concomitant users of an opioid, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland.

19 Nov 2018

Parents who decline flu vaccination for their child may be exposed to limited information

Parents who decline to get their child vaccinated against the flu may be exposed to a limited range of information, a new national poll suggests.

19 Nov 2018

In-hospital mortality higher among patients with drug-resistant infections

In one of the largest studies to measure the burden of antibiotic resistance in a low- or middle-income country, researchers at the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy report that in-hospital mortality is significantly higher among patients infected with multi-drug resistant or extensively drug resistant pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii.

17 Nov 2018

Nexus announces availability of Arsenic Trioxide Injection in the US

Nexus Pharmaceuticals announced today the immediate availability in the United States for Arsenic Trioxide Injection. Nexus Pharmaceuticals' Arsenic Trioxide Injection is available as 10 mg per 10 mL vial for injection.

16 Nov 2018

Specific bacterial toxins reduce number of cells suppressing immune response

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria can cause numerous diseases, such as skin infections, pneumonia and blood poisoning.

16 Nov 2018

Survey: Majority of Americans are concerned about health threat posed by antibiotic resistance

Nearly two thirds of Americans (65%) say antibiotic resistance is a public health problem and a strong majority (81%) say they are concerned that antibiotic resistance will make more infections difficult or impossible to treat and even deadly, according to a national public opinion survey commissioned by Research!America in collaboration with the Infectious Disease Society of America.

13 Nov 2018

Antibiotic resistance data from across the globe released

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a notification regarding antibiotic usage and resistance this week. The organization has warned that some countries have a very high consumption of antibiotics and there is a shortage in several regions worldwide. This disparity has led to misuse that had spread antibiotic resistance, the WHO says.

13 Nov 2018

Gladstone scientists gain new insights into the aging brain

The protein klotho has been shown to promote longevity and counteract aging-related impairments. Having more klotho seems to allow for longer and healthier lives, whereas a depletion of this molecule accelerates aging and may contribute to age-related diseases.

12 Nov 2018

Breakthrough research reveals how deadly pneumococcus avoids immune defenses

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have discovered a new and important function of a toxin produced by disease-causing bacteria that could have significant implications for future vaccine design.

12 Nov 2018