Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

Study uncovers OLAH as key driver of fatal respiratory disease

Respiratory infections can be severe, even deadly, in some individuals, but not in others.

12 Aug 2024

Childhood vaccinations save trillions in societal costs while preventing millions of illnesses and deaths

Routine childhood vaccinations among children born between 1994 and 2023 have prevented millions of illnesses and deaths in the U.S., saving $540 billion in direct costs and $2.7 trillion in societal costs.

12 Aug 2024

Rare but real: The neurological risks associated with vaccines

Review highlights the rare neurological risks associated with vaccination, emphasizing the importance of accurate detection and management strategies, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

9 Aug 2024

Recombinant shingles vaccine linked to lower dementia risk, especially in women

Study published in Nature Medicine found that the recombinant shingles vaccine is linked to a reduced risk of dementia. This protective effect was particularly notable in females, suggesting a potential advantage of the recombinant vaccine over the live vaccine.

7 Aug 2024

Study reveals distinct genetic risk factors for influenza and COVID-19

A recent study in Nature Genetics reports that genetic risk factors for influenza and COVID-19 are distinct, highlighting their unique genetic architectures.

6 Aug 2024

Innovative nasal spray and vaccine for respiratory virus protection

A team of researchers, led by the University of Houston, has discovered two new ways of preventing and treating respiratory viruses.

6 Aug 2024

Social factors play crucial role in determining lifespan

The interplay of a quartet of sex, marital status, education, and race is linked to an 18 year lifespan gap for US citizens, and while no one factor is more influential than any of the others, the more of these influential factors a person has, the higher their risk of an earlier death, finds research published in the open access journal BMJ Open.

6 Aug 2024

H5N1 avian flu found in Texas dairy cattle and milk, sparking concerns about underreported infections

Researchers at UTMB found H5N1 avian influenza virus in Texas dairy cattle and milk, highlighting potential underreporting of infections among farm workers and the need for better surveillance.

4 Aug 2024

Pioneering study brings leishmaniasis vaccine development closer

Scientists have developed a new, safe and effective way to infect volunteers with the parasite that causes leishmaniasis and measure the body's immune response, bringing a vaccine for the neglected tropical disease a step closer.

2 Aug 2024

Study reveals new H5N1 variants evade human antibodies more effectively

In a new study led by UNC Charlotte researchers from the Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks (CIPHER) and the North Carolina Research Campus at Kannapolis, University scholars have found evidence that the latest variants of H5N1 influenza - commonly known as avian or bird flu - are better at evading antibodies, including those of humans, than previous iterations of the virus.

2 Aug 2024

Trust in US physicians and hospitals plummeted during COVID-19, impacting vaccination rates

Trust in US physicians and hospitals dropped significantly during COVID-19, affecting vaccination rates across all demographics. Restoring trust is crucial for future public health efforts.

1 Aug 2024

Comprehensive meta-analysis offers insights into strategies for increasing immunization uptake

Vaccines are safe and effective, and help reduce death and illness. But global vaccination rates are suboptimal and have trended downward, leaving humanity more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases such as COVID-19, influenza, measles, polio, and HPV.

1 Aug 2024

Blowflies linked to bird flu spread in southern Japan

Researchers from Kyushu University have discovered that blowflies, a family of flies strongly attracted to decaying flesh and feces, are carrying the bird flu virus in southern Japan.

1 Aug 2024

Study reveals deepening mistrust in healthcare providers post-COVID

A cross-representative survey of adults in the United States showed decreasing levels of trust in physicians and hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic - and the lower the trust, the less likely an individual was to get vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 or influenza. The findings come from a survey study of more than 400,000 U.S. adults published in JAMA Network Open by a team co-led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system.

1 Aug 2024

Nasal COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in preventing virus spread

The lightning-fast development of COVID-19 vaccines just months after the virus appeared was a triumph of modern science and saved millions of lives.

31 Jul 2024

Bird flu cases are going undetected, new study suggests. It’s a problem for all of us.

A new study lends weight to fears that more livestock workers have gotten the bird flu than has been reported.

31 Jul 2024

Stem cell therapy advances: MSCs show potential in managing COVID-19 and influenza infections

Announcing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. The emergence of infectious diseases, including viral zoonoses, has allowed intensive research into novel therapeutic approaches.

31 Jul 2024

Maternal immune response to flu linked to fetal brain changes

A bad case of the flu during pregnancy can increase the risk for fetal neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. But it's not the virus itself doing the damage; it's the mother's immune response.

29 Jul 2024

Health authorities warn about bird flu risks in raw milk and undercooked foods

With bird flu virus detected in cow's milk, U.S. health authorities have warned the public against potential sources of exposure, including drinking raw or unpasteurized milk, and have reiterated a general warning that consuming uncooked or undercooked poultry or beef products can make you sick.

29 Jul 2024

New project launched to accelerate development and accessibility of H5N1 mRNA vaccine candidates

A new project aiming to accelerate the development and accessibility of human avian influenza (H5N1) messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine candidates for manufacturers in low- and middle-income countries has been launched today.

29 Jul 2024