Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Critical access hospitals provide lower quality of care

In an analysis of data from more than 4,500 hospitals that serve Medicare beneficiaries, critical access hospitals had fewer clinical capabilities, worse measured processes of care and higher rates of death for patients with heart attack, congestive heart failure or pneumonia, compared to non-CAHs, according to a study in the July 6 issue of JAMA.

6 Jul 2011

Maternal anxiety, depression may increase risk of asthma in children

Anxiety, stress and depression during pregnancy may lead to a greater risk of asthma for your child. Study results are published in the July issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

6 Jul 2011

New study reaffirms safety of seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines

Back in spring 2009, the H1N1 influenza virus crossed the U.S. border and raised concerns that it might cause a full-scale epidemic in the fall. The Food and Drug Administration worked with other Health and Human Services agencies and vaccine manufacturers to quickly develop, license and distribute a vaccine to protect the public from this particularly virulent strain of the flu.

5 Jul 2011

Women with sedentary lifestyle more likely to develop pulmonary embolism

Women who sit for long periods of time everyday are two to three times more likely to develop a life-threatening blood clot in their lungs than more active women, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

5 Jul 2011

Researchers use clever technique to look at in vivo virus-bacterium interactions

Viruses are the most abundant parasites on Earth. Well known viruses, such as the flu virus, attack human hosts, while viruses such as the tobacco mosaic virus infect plant hosts.

2 Jul 2011

Research roundup: Hospital care in U.S. territories lags; health spending unevenly distributed

This study examines the quality of hospital care in the U.S. territories -- Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Island, and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- and compares it to care in the states.

2 Jul 2011

Checklist to stay healthy and active in summer

The summer is a great season for getting in shape. Whether by playing a sport, doing an aerobic exercise routine, or just returning to that familiar running path -- this is the time for activity.

2 Jul 2011

Scientists discover enzyme that can regulate breast cancer development

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have identified an enzyme that appears to be a significant regulator of breast cancer development. Called PTPN23, the enzyme is a member of a family called protein tyrosine phosphatases, or PTPs, that plays a fundamental role in switching cell signaling on and off.

1 Jul 2011

Vitamin D-deficiency linked to deaths of famous musicians

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 - 5 December 1791), suffered from many infectious illnesses including catarrh, fever, sore throat, and bad colds from 1762 to 1791, the year of his death at 35 years of age.

1 Jul 2011

Positive final results from Medicago's H5N1 Avian Influenza VLP vaccine Phase II trial

Medicago Inc. a biotechnology company focused on developing highly effective and competitive vaccines based on proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles (VLPs), today reported positive final results from a Phase II human clinical trial with its H5N1 Avian Influenza VLP vaccine candidate.

30 Jun 2011

Tips to stay healthy during vacation

Do you ever wonder why you feel so exhausted after returning from a vacation? The flights, car rides, hotel stays and on-the-go activities just might play a part in the way you feel. Dr. Marbella Zumaya, a physician with Covenant Medical Group, gives some tips on how to stay healthy while vacationing as well as how to come back feeling refreshed.

30 Jun 2011

Valeant, Meda partner for life cycle opportunities for Elidel and Xerese

Meda and Valeant have entered into a collaboration agreement. Meda has out-licensed exclusive rights for Elidel and Xerese to Valeant for the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The parties will collaborate on life cycle opportunities for both products.

30 Jun 2011

Almirall, Forest Labs submit aclidinium bromide NDA to FDA for treatment of COPD

Forest Laboratories, Inc. and Almirall, S.A. announced they have recently submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for aclidinium bromide, a long-acting inhaled antimuscarinic agent developed for the treatment of COPD.

30 Jun 2011

Recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccines hold promise against infectious diseases

A powerful new class of therapeutics, known as recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccines (RASV), holds great potential in the fight against fatal diseases including hepatitis B, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid fever, AIDS and pneumonia.

30 Jun 2011

Most cases of facial nerve paralysis in children can be treated successfully

A half-paralyzed face with a motionless, drooping side can be alarming at any age, but when it occurs in a child it can be especially devastating.

30 Jun 2011

S. aureus pneumonia rates in children have doubled over past decade

The rate of pneumonia in children caused by infection with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria has doubled over the past decade, according to a paper in the July issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

30 Jun 2011

State roundup: Minn. officials looking at health cuts to avert shutdown

With just two days to negotiate an agreement with Republican lawmakers before a potential government shutdown, Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican leaders are trying to find additional cuts in health and human services spending, the fastest-growing part of state government.

30 Jun 2011

Botox for asthma

Botox, or botulinum toxin type A, which is best-known for smoothing away facial wrinkles is to be tested as an asthma treatment at Melbourne's Monash University. A recent survey by the university found that about half of severe asthmatics suffer problems with their voice box as well as their lungs. The problems were similar to vocal cord dysphonia – or loss of voice through overuse – a condition which Botox is frequently used to fix.

29 Jun 2011

Vaccines may be given in food in the near future

Soon children could be vaccinated with bacteria mixed in milk and people in the developing world given unprecedented access to immunisations under a scheme proposed by an Australian Nobel laureate, Barry Marshall.

29 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 29, 2011

In today's news, two senators offer a new plan for Medicare cuts -- which includes increasing the eligibility age -- but top Democrats lined up against it.

29 Jun 2011