Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Strep A infections on the rise among Australians, study finds

Australia has experienced an intense surge in severe Strep A cases, similar to the northern hemisphere wave, despite differences in seasons and circulating respiratory viruses, according to a new study.

22 Aug 2023

Few firm beliefs and low trust: Americans not sure what’s true in age of health misinformation

Around 3 in 10 Americans still believe ivermectin is an effective treatment for covid. What's more, few place significant trust in any form of news media or official institution to accurately convey information about health topics, from covid treatments and vaccines to reproductive health issues, a new poll from KFF shows.

22 Aug 2023

Doctors advocate fresh efforts to combat Chagas disease, a silent killer

When Maira Gutiérrez was diagnosed with Chagas disease in 1997, neither she nor her primary care physician had even heard of the malady. She discovered her illness only by chance, after participating in a Red Cross blood drive organized by her employer, Universal Studios.

22 Aug 2023

COVID-19 vaccination in low- and middle-income countries should complement routine childhood vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines are effective against severe cases of the disease in children and adolescents, according to a review.

21 Aug 2023

Deep learning-based model can predict the need for intensive care in COVID-19 patients

The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a huge blow to healthcare systems and highlighted their major shortcomings.

21 Aug 2023

COVID-19 infection linked to increased risk of high blood pressure

An analysis of electronic medical records for more than 45,000 people found that COVID-19 infection was significantly associated with the development of high blood pressure, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

21 Aug 2023

Common cold coronaviruses may offer pre-existing immunity to COVID-19

Exposure to common cold-causing coronaviruses may contribute to pre-existing immunity to COVID-19, according to a new study involving a Rutgers research scientist.

18 Aug 2023

Vaccination reduces risk of severe COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients

Findings from a two-year study of nearly 2,400 solid organ transplant recipients, conducted by the Johns Hopkins Transplant Research Center (TRC) in collaboration with the New York University Center for Surgical and Applied Transplant Research, indicate spikes of post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 viral infections (commonly known as COVID-19 breakthrough cases) remain common, yet hospitalization rates have dramatically dropped following the first wave of the virus' omicron subvariant.

18 Aug 2023

Immune cells present in people months before influenza infection, finds study

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists, in collaboration with the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) Limited, found that immune cells present in people months before influenza (flu) infection could more accurately predict if an individual would develop symptoms than current methods which primarily rely on antibody levels.

18 Aug 2023

Databases, techniques for variant forecasting and early warning of emerging infectious diseases

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has dramatically increased the awareness of emerging infectious diseases.

17 Aug 2023

AI model can detect atrial septal defect in ECGs with high accuracy

The AI model was more efficient at detecting signatures of atrial septal defect (ASD) in electrocardiograms (ECG) than traditional methods.

17 Aug 2023

Potential of COVID-19 convalescent plasma for future monoclonal antibodies against severe SARS-CoV-2 inflammation

Researchers report that convalescent plasma treatment is most effective in treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

17 Aug 2023

Prior vaccinations may help protect against Alzheimer's disease

Prior vaccination against tetanus and diphtheria, with or without pertussis (Tdap/Td); herpes zoster (HZ), better known as shingles; and pneumococcus are all associated with a reduced risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, according to new research from UTHealth Houston.

16 Aug 2023

Spanish flu pandemic linked to increase in low birth weight and stillbirth

In the wake of the 1918/1919 "Spanish flu" influenza pandemic, the probability of low birth weight and stillbirth increased among women in Switzerland, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE Kaspar Staub of the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and colleagues.

16 Aug 2023