Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

BMJ News examines ongoing investigation of WHO's handling of H1N1

BMJ News reports on the ongoing external investigation of the WHO's handling of the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic, following recent statements to the WHO's executive board meeting by review committee chairman, Harvey Fineberg.

24 Jan 2011

Contagious cancer repairs own genetic mutations

A curious contagious cancer, found in dogs, wolves and coyotes, can repair its own genetic mutations by adopting genes from its host animal, according to a new study in the journal Science.

24 Jan 2011

Healthcare workers can help improve quality of life for end of life patients

Healthcare workers can most directly affect quality of life (QOL) of patients with advanced stage lung cancer by helping manage symptoms such as pain, lack of energy, shortness of breath, coughing, difficulty sleeping and dry mouth, according to a study recently published in the journal Oncology Nursing Forum.

24 Jan 2011

Eliminating sugary drinks from diet can reduce tooth decay in American Indian children

A study conducted in four American Indian communities in the Pacific Northwest presents an effective strategy to convince mothers to switch young children from drinking sweetened soda to water and shows that eliminating these sugary drinks from the diets of the youngest members of the tribe significantly decreased tooth decay.

24 Jan 2011

CRI, Oncovir sign new investment agreement to produce immunological stimulant

Cancer Research Institute, a U.S. nonprofit organization founded in 1953 to advance the science of tumor immunology and foster the discovery and development of new cancer immunotherapies, announced today that its Cancer Vaccine Acceleration Fund, a joint initiative with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, has completed a new investment agreement with Oncovir, a biotechnology company based in Washington, D.C., to enable the production of the immunological stimulant Hiltonol- (Poly-ICLC).

24 Jan 2011

Bird flu outbreak in Japan

After six birds were confirmed to have avian flu, the Miyazaki Prefectural Government has begun culling more than 10,000 chickens at a local poultry farm southwest Japan.

23 Jan 2011

CVAF completes new investment agreement with Oncovir for production of Hiltonol

Cancer Research Institute, Inc. (CRI), a U.S. nonprofit organization founded in 1953 to advance the science of tumor immunology and foster the discovery and development of new cancer immunotherapies, announced today that its Cancer Vaccine Acceleration Fund (CVAF), a joint initiative with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR), has completed a new investment agreement with Oncovir, Inc., a biotechnology company based in Washington, D.C., to enable the production of the immunological stimulant Hiltonol® (Poly-ICLC).

21 Jan 2011

IMDx enters multi-year agreement with Abbott Molecular for m2000 instrument system

IMDx today announced that they have signed a multi-year agreement with Abbott whereby IMDx will design, develop, regulatory clear, and manufacture assays for the Abbott Molecular FDA cleared, m2000 instrument system to be distributed worldwide. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

21 Jan 2011

Scientists find ADAR1 enzyme protect against measles virus

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found that a known enzyme in cells protects against measles virus, likely by altering the virus's genetic material, RNA. Cells lacking the enzyme become highly vulnerable to the virus's destructive effects. The enzyme also protects against several other respiratory viruses, including influenza A.

21 Jan 2011

Akonni introduces TruTip kit for extraction of human genomic DNA from fresh, frozen whole blood

Akonni Biosystems, a molecular diagnostics company focused on providing rapid and highly scalable solutions for infectious and genetic disease testing, today announced the launch of a TruTip kit for extraction of human genomic DNA from fresh or frozen whole blood.

20 Jan 2011

Semen allergy to one's own

According to a study from Dutch researchers, some men are allergic to their own semen, developing a mysterious flu-like illness after they have an ejaculation. The condition, known as post-orgasmic illness syndrome or POIS, has been documented since 2002. It manifests as feverishness, runny nose, extreme fatigue and burning eyes, which can last for up to a week.

20 Jan 2011

Meridian Bioscience first quarter net sales decrease 12% to $37.3 million

Net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 were $37,263,000 as compared to $42,457,000 for the same period of the prior fiscal year, a decrease of 12%. Net earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 were $6,025,000, or $0.15 per diluted share, both decreases of 32% from the first quarter of fiscal 2010. Diluted common shares outstanding for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 and 2010 were 41,294,000 and 41,185,000, respectively.

20 Jan 2011

WHO Director-General expresses concern over public mistrust of vaccines

During the WHO's executive board meeting Monday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan expressed concerns over what she called a "'worrisome' public mistrust of vaccines, following signs of a tail-off in flu vaccination," Agence France-Presse reports (1/18).

20 Jan 2011

El Camino Hospital introduces CHI program to educate Chinese community on health disparities

El Camino Hospital has launched a Chinese Health Initiative, designed to address the troubling and unique health disparities in the Silicon Valley's Chinese community and to accommodate their cultural preferences in education, screening and health care delivery.

19 Jan 2011

Study finds link between public transport and risk of catching ARI

You are six times more likely to end up at the doctors with an acute respiratory infection if you have recently used a bus or tram — but those who use buses or trams daily might well be somewhat protected compared with more occasional users.

19 Jan 2011

Legionnaires’ disease scare in Bali: Australian tourists warned

Commonwealth chief medical officer Jim Bishop has warned Australians who have returned from Bali on an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease on the popular Indonesian resort island. The Australian health authorities knew of 11 cases of Legionnaires’ disease detected in Victorians and Western Australians after holidays in the Kuta area of Bali between August 2010 and January 2011.

19 Jan 2011

Theraclone, Pfizer enter multi-year research and development collaboration

Theraclone Sciences, Inc., a therapeutic antibody discovery and development company, announced today that they have entered into a multi-year research and development collaboration with Pfizer. The collaboration will use Theraclone's I-STAR™ technology to discover broadly protective monoclonal antibodies against up to four undisclosed targets in the areas of infectious disease and cancer.

19 Jan 2011

Pisgah to scale-up patent-pending form of hydrocodone

As Pisgah Laboratories, Inc. continues development of its lead abuse deterrent opioid product, it will soon begin scale-up of its patent-pending form of hydrocodone. Pisgah has developed a specialized salt form of hydrocodone which imparts abuse deterrent properties to a dosage product. Pisgah will manufacture its hydrocodone salt for clinical trials in their FDA / DEA registered facility.

19 Jan 2011

Jayex launches online healthcare media library

Jayex, the healthcare digital display system specialist, today announces the launch of Med-Extranet; its online healthcare media library. Med-Extranet offers hospitals, clinics, and GP surgeries online access to educational videos, digital posters and public service announcements that can be displayed on patient waiting room screens.

19 Jan 2011

Collaborative study may lead to improved influenza vaccine and vaccines for other respiratory virus infections

A collaborative project between researchers at the Trudeau Institute and their colleagues at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., offers new insights that may lead to an improved strategy to protect against the influenza virus and other viruses that infect the respiratory tract.

19 Jan 2011