Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Physician recommends vaccination for Meningitis before children start school

Freshmen all across the nation have begun packing in preparation for college. Along with their laptops, notebooks, pens and binders, there is one more essential item they need - a meningitis vaccination. "If a student hasn't gotten a meningitis vaccination, they absolutely should get one before they start school," said Dr. Michael Koller, associate professor of medicine, division of general internal medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood. "Meningitis is not a common disease but it can be tragic."

18 Aug 2010

Study shows increase in IL-6 secretion can reduce Tarceva sensitivity to treat lung tumor cells

One of the most tantalizing developments in anti-cancer therapy over recent years has been the advent of targeted treatments, which have proven highly effective in holding aggressive cancers at bay in certain patients, although typically only for a limited period of time.

18 Aug 2010

Dysphagia impacts length of hospital stay and prognosis

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that hospitalized patients with dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, averaged a 40 percent longer hospital stay than patients without the condition. They also had a generally poorer prognosis. The research is published in the August issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

18 Aug 2010

Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer,' report finds

The Associated Press: "Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer' as well as its likely leading cause of death, the American Cancer Society contends in a new report it will present at a global cancer conference in China this week. Cancer costs more in productivity and lost life than AIDS, malaria, the flu and other diseases that spread person-to-person, the report concludes.

18 Aug 2010

Air quality along US Gulf Coast improves after stoppage of oil leak

The oil spill along the United States Gulf Coast poses health risks to volunteers, fishermen, clean-up workers and members of coastal communities, according to a new commentary by UCSF researchers who spent time in the region and are among the first to look into health problems caused by the oil spill. The good news, the authors say, is that one of the risk factors, coastal air quality, is improving now that the oil leak has been stopped.

17 Aug 2010

Natick VNA offers checklist to help patients make informed choice of home health care provider

Home from the hospital already? As stays for hospital patients grow progressively shorter, even for procedures as serious as repairing a brain aneurysm or inserting a pacemaker, patients' need for highly skilled nursing care at home is growing. Indeed, every week, thousands of these patients are referred to home health care services.

17 Aug 2010

BrickHouse Security, National Kidney Registry implement real-time GPS tracking system for organ shipment

BrickHouse Security, a leading provider of security and surveillance products to businesses and consumers, today announced that, in partnership with the National Kidney Registry (NKR), they have implemented the first real-time GPS tracking system for the shipment of living donor organs.

17 Aug 2010

Ancient discovery holds key to joint tissue regeneration

Osteoarthritis is a crippling disease worldwide, with an estimated eight million sufferers in the UK alone. It has been described as like "wearing a suit of rusty armour," with unrelenting, razor-like pain.

17 Aug 2010

Intercell reports significant increase in second quarter revenue

Today, Intercell AG announced its financial results for Q2 and H1 2010.IXIARO/JESPECT sales increased significantly from EUR 2.4m in Q2 2009 to EUR 5.2m in Q2 2010 Continued focus on growing marketing and sales of product in traveler and military markets

17 Aug 2010

Ill effects of methamphetamine

On the street it's known as meth, speed, ice, chalk, crank, fire, glass or crystal. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that wreaks havoc on the entire body, including the user's oral health. Approximately 10 million Americans have tried methamphetamine, while more than 1.4 million are habitual users.

17 Aug 2010

Global vaccine sales up 16% in 2009, report says

Global vaccine sales "grew by a healthy 16 percent last year, when sales shot up to $22.1 billion, healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information reported Friday," according to the Associated Press. Kalorama is also forecasting sales "will rise at a compound annual rate of 9.7 percent during the next five years," (Johnson, 8/14).

17 Aug 2010

Lotus Pharmaceuticals second-quarter net income increases 32% to $6.3 million

Lotus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a growing developer, manufacturer and seller of medicine and drugs in the People's Republic of China, reported today its financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010.

16 Aug 2010

NanoViricides' anti-Herpes drug candidates demonstrate significant efficacy in cell culture studies

NanoViricides, Inc., reports that its anti-Herpes drug candidates demonstrated significant efficacy in the recently completed cell culture studies. The studies were performed in the laboratory of Dr. Ken Rosenthal at Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy.

16 Aug 2010

August is National Immunization and Cataract Awareness Month

Childhood immunizations keep our children safe from a number of serious diseases. This is a good time of year to make sure your child is up-to-date on all of his/her immunizations. Continue reading to find out which vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend for children 6 and under.

16 Aug 2010

Green Cross receives KFDA approval to manufacture, market i.v. peramivir: BioCryst Pharmaceuticals

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that its partner, Green Cross Corporation has received marketing and manufacturing approval from KFDA for intravenous peramivir to treat patients with influenza A & B viruses, including pandemic H1N1 and avian influenza. Green Cross Corp. intends to launch peramivir under the commercial name PeramiFlu in South Korea.

16 Aug 2010

Sinovac Biotech second-quarter 2010 sales increase 131% to $10.3 million

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading China-based vaccine manufacturer, announced today its unaudited financial results for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2010.

16 Aug 2010

US WorldMeds announces acquisition of Solstice Neurosciences for $35M

US WorldMeds, LLC, a Kentucky-based specialty pharmaceutical company that develops unique products to address unmet medical needs, today announced it has acquired Solstice Neurosciences, Inc. for $35 million. The acquisition expands US WorldMeds' operations, adds to the company's growing portfolio of products and enhances the company's ability to create and deliver high-quality specialty pharmaceutical products to its targeted global markets.

16 Aug 2010

Inovio Pharmaceuticals 2010 second quarter net loss decreases

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010.Total revenue was $1.1 million and $2.5 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $2.5 million and $2.9 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2009, respectively.

16 Aug 2010

Research Roundup: Disabled Medicare Enrollees' challenges; Increasing ER visits; costs/benefits of Part D

Health Affairs: Medicare Doesn't Work As Well For Younger, Disabled Beneficiaries As It Does For Older Enrollees - This paper examines "how well Medicare works for [the 8 million] nonelderly disabled beneficiaries compared to the elderly, based on findings from a nationally representative survey of noninstitutionalized Medicare beneficiaries conducted in 2008 by the Kaiser Family Foundation."

16 Aug 2010

Childhood brain tumor survivors may be vulnerable to physical declines associated with aging: Study

A large study focused on documenting the strength and fitness of childhood brain tumor survivors has found that many face health challenges as they age. The study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators showed that although most participants were young adults in their 20s, many functioned like people in their 60s, making them less likely to live independently or attend college.

16 Aug 2010