Influenza

Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year. Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and; about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

Types of Influenza

Influenza is caused by three types of RNA viruses called influenza types A, B and C, which all belong to the family Orthomyxoviridae.

Influenza Immunization

Influenza Epidemiology

Influenza Prognosis

Influenza Symptoms

Influenza Treatments

Influenza Pandemics

Influenza Research

Influenza Infection in Animals

Latest Influenza News and Research

Broad-spectrum polymeric antivirals against SARS-CoV-2

In a recent study published in the journal Advanced Science, researchers evaluated the potential and applicability of macromolecular viral inhibitors against respiratory viral pathogens.

17 May 2022

Characterizing SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 15 endoribonuclease variants

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* pre-print server, researchers characterized the mutations in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) non-structural protein 15 (Nsp-15).

16 May 2022

Study suggests the seasonal H1N1 flu virus may be a direct descendant of the 1918 influenza strain that caused a global flu pandemic

A new study published in Nature Communications implemented recent advances in nucleic acid recovery to sequence one complete and two partial 1918 influenza virus genomes from specimens sampled in Berlin and Munich.

16 May 2022

Study shows dengue virus can lower sperm production in men

A new study supports the notion that the dengue virus can be sexually transmissible for a short period after acute dengue illness and that it can also cause alterations in sperm production.

16 May 2022

What role do children play in household transmission of COVID-19?

A new study published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases reviews the literature systematically. It performs a meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of pediatric COVID-19 in clusters of families, estimate the household secondary attack rate of children, and compare the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 in different age groups.

14 May 2022

Direct infection and replication of influenza virus in cardiomyocytes is a primary determinant of cardiac pathology associated with severe influenza

Researchers generated a recombinant influenza virus expressing micro ribonucleic acid (miRNAs) expressed in cardiomyocytes to infect mice, which served as a model to study the etiology of influenza-associated cardiac pathology.

13 May 2022

Mitochondrial respiratory chain is essential for NLRP3 inflammasome activation

Northwestern Medicine investigators recently discovered that the mitochondrial respiratory chain — a series of protein complexes essential for a cellular respiration and energy production — is necessary for the activation of another protein complex linked to inflammation and the progression of chronic diseases, according to a study published in Nature Immunology.

12 May 2022

Study finds recent influenza vaccination is associated with an appreciable reduction in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity

The current study was performed in Qatar, including over 30,000 healthcare workers vaccinated against influenza during the period between September 17, 2020, and December 31, 2020, when the annual flu shots are usually given.

12 May 2022

Study projects the COVID-19 burden caused by Omicron infections in mainland China should the zero-COVID policy be lifted

A new paper describes a new epidemiological model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission that includes the burden of COVID-19, vaccination coverage, available antiviral therapies, and non-pharmaceutical interventions.

12 May 2022

The promise of RNA medicine is targeted and personalized

The development of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has only increased the impetus in this field.

11 May 2022

Direct influenza infection of the heart drives cardiac complications, study reveals

Researchers have shown for the first time in mice that heart problems associated with the flu are not caused by raging inflammation in the lungs, as has long been predicted.

11 May 2022

Vaccine features that could induce durable humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2

A new study explored key vaccine features which could help induce and preserve humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

11 May 2022

New research on excess mortality in the Nordics during COVID

Both from a scientific and a political standpoint, it is important to record and examine the additional deaths during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

11 May 2022

Exploring simultaneous and sequential COVID-19 vaccine candidate

Researchers developed novel lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-based messenger ribonucleic acid vaccine formulations against three pathogenic coronaviruses.

10 May 2022

About 15 million additional deaths attributed to COVID-19 between January 2020 and December 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new figures showing that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused almost 15 million deaths directly or indirectly. These deaths comprise the excess mortality over the two years 2020 and 2021, attributable to infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

9 May 2022

Deoxyribonucleic acid nanostructure sensor found to rapidly detect and inhibit SARS-CoV-2

Researchers reported on a three-layer designer deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nanostructure (DDN) strategy-based sensor designed by them for rapid and accurate SARS-CoV-2 detection and inhibition.

9 May 2022

Diagnostic performance of monocyte distribution width and other leukocyte parameters for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza infection

Researchers used a novel diagnostic screen, monocyte distribution width for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza infection.

9 May 2022

A guide to help you keep up with the omicron subvariants

Two years into the coronavirus pandemic, Americans can be forgiven if they've lost track of the latest variants circulating nationally and around the world. We've heard of the alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and omicron variants, but a new Greek-letter variant hasn't come onto the scene in almost half a year.

6 May 2022

Marine bioactive compounds against SARS-CoV-2

A new review paper published in the journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research aimed to determine the possibilities of using biologically active compounds derived from various chemical classes of marine organisms against SARS-CoV-2 infection at various stages of the life cycle of the virus.

6 May 2022

SARS-CoV-2 variants are not evolving to escape from T cell-mediated immunity

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* pre-print server, researchers demonstrated that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants did not evolve further to escape from T cell-mediated immunity.

6 May 2022

Influenza

Overview

Influenza Immunization

Influenza Epidemiology

Influenza Prognosis

Feature Articles

Influenza Symptoms

Influenza Treatments

Influenza Pandemics

Influenza Research

Influenza Infection in Animals

Latest Influenza News and Research

Broad-spectrum polymeric antivirals against SARS-CoV-2

Characterizing SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 15 endoribonuclease variants

Study suggests the seasonal H1N1 flu virus may be a direct descendant of the 1918 influenza strain that caused a global flu pandemic

Study shows dengue virus can lower sperm production in men

What role do children play in household transmission of COVID-19?

Direct infection and replication of influenza virus in cardiomyocytes is a primary determinant of cardiac pathology associated with severe influenza

Mitochondrial respiratory chain is essential for NLRP3 inflammasome activation

Study finds recent influenza vaccination is associated with an appreciable reduction in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity

Study projects the COVID-19 burden caused by Omicron infections in mainland China should the zero-COVID policy be lifted

The promise of RNA medicine is targeted and personalized

Direct influenza infection of the heart drives cardiac complications, study reveals

Vaccine features that could induce durable humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2

New research on excess mortality in the Nordics during COVID

Exploring simultaneous and sequential COVID-19 vaccine candidate

About 15 million additional deaths attributed to COVID-19 between January 2020 and December 2021

Deoxyribonucleic acid nanostructure sensor found to rapidly detect and inhibit SARS-CoV-2

Diagnostic performance of monocyte distribution width and other leukocyte parameters for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza infection

A guide to help you keep up with the omicron subvariants

Marine bioactive compounds against SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 variants are not evolving to escape from T cell-mediated immunity

Using AI to predict heart attacks

The Future of Gynecological Conditions; Improving Attention, Understanding, and Treatment

CMR Surgical; Transforming Surgery through Robotics

Influenza

Overview

Feature Articles

Influenza Symptoms

Influenza Treatments

Influenza Pandemics

Influenza Research

Influenza Infection in Animals

Latest Influenza News and Research

Using AI to predict heart attacks

The Future of Gynecological Conditions; Improving Attention, Understanding, and Treatment

CMR Surgical; Transforming Surgery through Robotics

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