Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases features Inovio’s Chikungunya DNA vaccine

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the development of novel therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today the publication of a scientific paper highlighting positive results from Inovio's multi-antigen Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) DNA vaccine in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

12 Jan 2011

56% of respondents have still not received flu shots

As we enter peak flu season, flu activity is steadily increasing in the United States, with eight states now reporting widespread outbreaks of influenza cases according to the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report.

12 Jan 2011

Physicians who completed internal medicine training lack primary care knowledge: Study

Doctors who have completed training in internal medicine are in general poorly prepared for jobs as primary care physicians, most notably lacking the knowledge to best care for patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.

12 Jan 2011

Antibodies produced by people who recovered from H1N1 offer clues for universal flu vaccine

The antibodies produced by individuals who fought off H1N1 (swine flu) infection last year may bring researchers one step closer to their quest to develop a "universal" flu vaccine, U.S. researchers said Monday, HealthDay News/Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

12 Jan 2011

New database provides easy access to information about genes and biological functions

The human genome sequence, initially completed in draft form nearly a decade ago, has revolutionized biological research. But most research findings are buried in the scientific literature, and linking basic biological processes to genomic information can be difficult without substantial effort or training. A new resource that provides easy access to information about genes and their biological functions was just released by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

12 Jan 2011

Herpes zoster vaccine reduces risk of developing shingles by 55%

Receiving the herpes zoster vaccine was associated with a 55 percent reduced risk of developing shingles, according to a Kaiser Permanente study of 300,000 people that appears in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

12 Jan 2011

Dirty cash machines – Literally!

Experts have found that cash machines carry same amounts and kinds of bacteria as a public toilet. They took swabs from both places and found pseudomonads and bacillus bacteria types, both of which are behind common afflictions such as diarrhea.

11 Jan 2011

ALLOZYNE completes AZ01 Phase IA clinical trial in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis

ALLOZYNE, Inc. announced today, the completion of its first Phase IA clinical trial in healthy individuals for AZ01, a PEGylated form of human interferon beta-1b which is being developed for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. The objectives of the Phase IA trial were to assess safety and tolerability profile in addition to defining its pharmacological properties.

11 Jan 2011

Adult Social Care can become more environmentally sustainable, says study

New research from the Institute for Sustainability, Health and Environment (ISHE) at the University of the West of England, shows that Adult Social Care can become more environmentally sustainable, more economical and still meet social objectives, with the right policies and strategies in place.

11 Jan 2011

Haiti teen to undergo open-heart surgery at Montefiore

Mahalia Desruisseaux, M.D., assistant professor of pathology and of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University who had traveled to Haiti to assist in the relief effort, identified a serious heart condition. Now, one year later, Ms. Ajuste will undergo open-heart surgery at Montefiore, The University Hospital and Academic Medical Center for Einstein, to correct the defect.

11 Jan 2011

OraSure to introduce QuickFlu test for detection of type A and type B influenza

OraSure Technologies, announced today the impending launch of the OraSure QuickFlu Rapid Flu A+B Test, a U.S. Food and Drug and Administration approved in vitro rapid qualitative test for the detection of influenza type A and type B, including H1N1 viral infections.

11 Jan 2011

PakSense launches new class of temperature monitoring device

PakSense, an innovator in sensory solutions for packaging, announced today the launch of the PakSense BIOmed Label product line for use in clinical trials, pharmaceuticals, biologics, vaccines and other healthcare-related material transport.

11 Jan 2011

Less than 7% of U.S. seniors get shingles vaccination

Although a vaccine to prevent shingles has been available since 2006, less than 7 percent of U.S. seniors — the demographic most frequently affected by the disease — chose to receive the vaccination as of 2008, finds a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

11 Jan 2011

Health centers should screen students for depression

One out of every four or five students who visits a university health center for a routine cold or sore throat turns out to be depressed, but most centers miss the opportunity to identify these students because they don't screen for depression, according to new Northwestern Medicine research.

11 Jan 2011

Floods may become a healthcare challenge, warns the AMA

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has issued warnings to the Queensland health authorities to prepare for the rise of illnesses and injuries caused by the floods.

10 Jan 2011

Potential single vaccine for permanent immunity to all influenza

The search for a universal flu vaccine has received a boost from a surprising source: the 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu strain.

10 Jan 2011

Neomend receives CE Mark for ProGEL PLATINUM Surgical Sealant

Neomend, Inc., an innovator in sealant and adhesion-prevention products for the surgical marketplace, announced it has received the European Union CE Mark for the company's ProGEL® PLATINUM Surgical Sealant.

10 Jan 2011

Positive preclinical results from Inovio's novel DNA vaccine targeting HIV Clade C virus

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today the publication of a scientific paper highlighting positive preclinical results from Inovio's novel DNA vaccine targeting HIV Clade C viruses in the journal Vaccine.

10 Jan 2011

Air purifier helps reduce H1N1 swine flu virus on contact

Only one week into the new year swine flu has already claimed several lives. Healthmap.org believes that swine flu has resulted in hospitalization and even death not only in the UK, but also in other parts of Europe and America. Reports indicate that the virus is even more virulent than last year.

10 Jan 2011

New lab-on-a-chip technology detects protein in blood less than 30 minutes

While most blood tests require shipping a vial of blood to a laboratory for analysis and waiting several days for the results, a new device invented by a team of engineers and students at the University of Rhode Island uses just a pinprick of blood in a portable device that provides results in less than 30 minutes.

10 Jan 2011