H5N1 News and Research

Latest H5N1 News and Research

Research reveals new pathogenic mechanism for influenza NS1 protein

Influenza is a deadly virus, with about 290,000 to 650,000 deaths worldwide each year. When pandemics hit, the toll can soar: The Spanish flu of 1918 caused 40 million to 50 million deaths, the Asian flu of 1957 caused 2 million deaths, and the Hong Kong flu of 1968 caused 1 million deaths.

16 Feb 2020

China reports H5N1 bird flu in Hunan amid coronavirus crisis

China has reported an outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu in Hunan, which borders the province of Hubei, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

3 Feb 2020

Infectious disease expert explains about Wuhan coronavirus

A new coronavirus virus, likely first transmitted to people from animals at a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, is making international headlines as disease detectives work to uncover what it is, how it's transmitted, and how deadly the virus actually is.

24 Jan 2020

Super fast novel device catches and identifies viruses

A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on December 23, 2019, describes a novel device developed by a team of researchers at Penn State and New York University. Not only can this instrument capture different types of virus, it can tell what kind they are.

23 Dec 2019

Researchers find another piece of puzzle relating to bird flu viruses

Normally, bird flu viruses do not spread easily from person to person. But if this does happen, it could trigger a pandemic. Researchers from the MDC and RKI have now explained in the journal Nature Communications what makes the leap from animals to humans less likely.

10 Dec 2019

Fullerene compounds effectively combat dangerous viral infections

Scientists from the Skoltech Center for Energy Science and Technology and the Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics of RAS in collaboration with researchers from four other Russian and foreign research centers have discovered a new reaction that helps obtain water-soluble fullerene derivatives which effectively combat flu viruses, human immunodeficiency virus, herpes simplex virus, and cytomegalovirus.

23 Sep 2019

Researchers map virulence factor of influenza A virus in real-time

The influenza A viruses, which have instigated deadly pandemics in the past, still remain a major global public health problem until today. Molecules known as virulence factors are produced by bacteria, viruses, and fungi to help them to infect host cells.

21 May 2019

Naturally occurring human antibody reveals hidden weakness in influenza virus

The ever-changing "head" of an influenza virus protein has an unexpected Achilles heel, report scientists funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, one of the National Institutes of Health.

17 May 2019

Study uncovers potential new strategy to treat influenza A

A team of researchers from Scripps Research and Janssen Research & Development LLC has discovered an orally active small molecule that neutralizes influenza A group 1 viruses, the most common flu strains.

11 Mar 2019

Study sheds light on the infection mechanism of influenza virus

New research has taken a step towards understanding how highly pathogenic influenza viruses such as deadly bird flu infect humans.

20 Nov 2018

New flu drug Xofluza approved - FDA emphasizes importance of flu shots

A new drug that works against flu has been developed and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday (24th October 2018). Until now the only drug available for flu is oseltamivir (Tamiflu) which is to be administered by two pills per day for five days after symptoms appear.

25 Oct 2018

Genentech announces Phase III study results of baloxavir marboxil in people at high risk of flu

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, today announced that the Phase III CAPSTONE-2 study showed treatment with baloxavir marboxil significantly reduced the time to improvement of influenza symptoms versus placebo in people at high risk of serious complications from the flu, which includes adults 65 years of age or older, or those who have conditions such as asthma, chronic lung disease, morbid obesity, or heart disease.

4 Oct 2018

Phase 1 clinical trial examining topical cream plus influenza vaccine is underway

A Phase 1 clinical trial examining whether a topical cream can enhance the immune response conferred by a "pre-pandemic" influenza vaccine is underway at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

6 Sep 2018

Experts witness action of influenza infection in the lungs of living mice

In the 1966 novel, Fantastic Voyage, written by biochemist and author Isaac Asimov, a crew of people become miniaturized in order to travel through the body of a scientist and save him from a blood clot in his brain.

26 Jun 2018

New research could pave way for better influenza vaccines

Influenza vaccines that better target the influenza surface protein called neuraminidase (NA) could offer broad protection against various influenza virus strains and lessen the severity of illness, according to new research published in Cell.

6 Apr 2018

Universal vaccine produces long-lasting immunity against influenza A viruses in mice

Researchers have developed a universal vaccine to combat influenza A viruses that produces long-lasting immunity in mice and protects them against the limitations of seasonal flu vaccines, according to a study led by Georgia State University.

24 Jan 2018

Bulgaria reports outbreaks of bird flu (avian influenza)

Veterinary authorities in Bulgaria have called for culling of nearly 8,000 ducks according to a food safety agency yesterday after two more regions there have reported avian flu infection. According to the agency a total of four outbreaks of bird flu have been registered in Bulgaria at this time.

5 Nov 2017