Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

Study offers new insights for vaccine development to prevent RSV disease

In healthy adults, RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, feels like the common cold with a runny nose, chest congestion and cough.

27 Mar 2019

New model could revolutionize the way researchers investigate spread of pathogens

A sophisticated new analysis tool developed by Florida State University scientists may signal a new era in the study of population genetics.

22 Mar 2019

Study shows ACA's positive impact on healthcare affordability and access for women

According to a new study appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, the rate of health insurance coverage and access to affordable acute and preventive care services improved for women after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

21 Mar 2019

Role of immunological imprinting in elicitation of new antibodies

We are repeatedly exposed to the influenza virus via infections, vaccinations and our communal environments. The annual flu shot is believed to be the best line of defense, and doctors recommend vaccinations every year because the flu virus is in a constant state of adaptation and mutation, rendering older vaccines obsolete.

21 Mar 2019

Pollutants appear to weaken immune system and increase pathogen virulence

Many people view pollutants and pathogens as separate causes of illness. However, recent research indicates that the two can interact, changing how people and animals respond to infectious diseases.

21 Mar 2019

New analysis compares scenarios to find the best time to get a flu shot

When flu season peaks after mid-winter, tens of thousands of influenza cases and hundreds of deaths can likely be avoided if older adults wait until October to get their flu immunization, a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine analysis reveals in the April issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

15 Mar 2019

Killer flu pandemic is inevitable and world is not prepared, says WHO

The World Health Organisation has said that the world is not prepared for a global flu pandemic and that resources are inadequate.

12 Mar 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

Yearly flu shot may also protect from having a heart attack

There's now another reason to get your yearly flu shot. Not only can it protect you from the body aches, fever and fatigue associated with a bout of influenza, it may even prevent you from having a heart attack, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session.

8 Mar 2019

Diet may drive exposure to influenza A virus in wild mammals

Given the importance and wide distribution of Influenza A viruses, it is surprising how little is known about infections of wild mammals.

7 Mar 2019

Discovery of protein, lipid connection could lead to new influenza therapies

The connection between an influenza virus surface protein and a host cell lipid has been discovered by researchers at the University of Maine and the National Institutes of Health. Confirmation of direct interaction between the protein and lipid could lead to new antiviral therapies.

6 Mar 2019

New insights into influenza A infection and its spread

A new route of influenza A infection viruses has been discovered by the researchers at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and the University of Zurich. At present the knowledge regarding influenza A infection spread is mainly restricted to the binding of the sialic moieties of the virus to the cell surface of the host.

5 Mar 2019

New study discovers entirely new infection route for influenza A viruses

Researchers from the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and the University of Zurich have discovered an entirely new infection route for influenza A viruses.

5 Mar 2019

Ethan Lindenberger's vaccine debate heads to congress

Ethan Lindenberger, 18 from Norwalk, Ohio, started rebelling against his parents, like many other teenagers. The reason behind this making news is that his parents were against vaccination and he got himself inoculated against their wishes.

4 Mar 2019

Scientists discover new infection route for influenza A viruses

The immunologically relevant MHC class II molecules are ubiquitously found in many animal species, which is why the discovery will play an important role in assessing the risk of spill-over infections to other species than bats.

4 Mar 2019

Researchers find how bats remain immune to various infections

An international research team led by Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, has identified molecular and genetic mechanisms that allow bats to stay healthy while hosting viruses that kill other animals, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Microbiology.

27 Feb 2019

Disease X: an unknown disease that could claim millions of lives

Dubbed ‘Disease X’, scientists believe a future epidemic of the influenza virus could cause millions of deaths worldwide.

25 Feb 2019

Reduced antibody adaptability may make the elderly more vulnerable to influenza

The influenza vaccine may be less effective in the elderly because their B cells are less capable of producing antibodies that can adapt to protect against new viral strains, researchers report February 19 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.

21 Feb 2019

Bat influenza viruses could potentially attack the cells of humans and livestock

Bats don't only carry the deadly Ebola virus, but are also a reservoir for a new type of influenza virus.

20 Feb 2019

Study reveals how helper T cells support memory cells to function optimally

The immune system's killer T cells are crucial in fighting viral infections. A fraction of them, called 'memory cells', live on once infection is controlled in order to fight re-infection by the same virus. They are of great interest as the basis of T cell-based vaccination and immunotherapies.

20 Feb 2019