Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

JBAIDS approved by the military for H1N1 virus detection tests

Idaho Technology’s Joint Biological Agent Identification and Diagnostic System (JBAIDS) has been approved by the military to run tests for the H1N1 virus. Deployed across the globe, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, by all four branches of the military, the JBAIDS instrument will be used to test military personnel and their families for Influenza A, swine flu A and H1 swine flu in less than an hour.

3 Oct 2009

Vaccinate children with H1N1 flu vaccine to control swine flu: UAB

The optimal way to control swine flu, the new H1N1 virus that emerged as a global threat in 2009, is to vaccinate children with the planned H1N1 flu vaccine, says the co-director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

3 Oct 2009

90% of public support H1N1 vaccination for health care workers

As H1N1 influenza vaccine begins to be shipped across the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize getting the first doses to high-priority groups. One such group is health care workers.

3 Oct 2009

DelSite's assests acquired by Nanotherapeutics

Nanotherapeutics, Inc., a privately held specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it had acquired certain assets from DelSite (formerly Carrington Laboratories, Inc.) out of Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.

3 Oct 2009

Face mask: A vital tool in fighting H1N1

With flu season officially underway on October 4th, Cantel Medical Corp., a company dedicated to infection prevention and control, recommends that Americans take extra precautions against spreading H1N1 influenza. Crosstex International, a subsidiary of Cantel Medical, is one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of face masks.

3 Oct 2009

Interim results of Sanofi Pasteur's Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine clinical trials announced

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, announced today an interim analysis of data from clinical trials of the U.S. licensed Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine in adults 18 years through 64 years of age and over the age of 65 years.

3 Oct 2009

Researchers screen decades-old frozen infant stool samples to detect norovirus

A search through decades-old frozen infant stool samples has yielded rich dividends for scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

3 Oct 2009

New flu emergency website launched

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania has launched a new regional website geared towards helping families, individuals and organizations find up-to-date information on where to go for H1N1 and seasonal influenza shots and other critical news regarding the seasonal flu epidemics expected to hit the region.

3 Oct 2009

EMEA grants positive opinion for Baxter's CELVAPAN H1N1 pandemic vaccine

Baxter International Inc. today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) granted its “positive opinion” for CELVAPAN H1N1 pandemic vaccine using Baxter’s Vero cell technology. This positive opinion confirms the acceptability of Baxter’s regulatory submission to obtain final marketing authorization and licensure of the product.

From Baxter International Inc. 3 Oct 2009

First U.S. patients could receive H1N1 vaccine next week

U.S. health officials announced Thursday the first batches of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine the government ordered will begin arriving in designated locations across the country on Tuesday and may be administered in the first patients by the end of next week, Reuters reports (Fox, 10/1).

3 Oct 2009

Update from BioCryst Pharmaceuticals regarding antiviral peramivir

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCRX) today announced that the Office of the Secretary, Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has issued "HHS Secretary's Declaration for the Use of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for the Influenza Antiviral Peramivir."

3 Oct 2009

Study shows students do not follow proper hygiene routines

Thousands of bacteria lurk in college dormitories, but students are not following proper hygiene routines to help protect themselves from serious illness, according to a study released today from the Simmons College Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community, sponsored by an educational grant from LYSOL® brand products.

1 Oct 2009

Studies show vitamin D plays an important role in preventing respiratory infections

Several studies and articles published this year show that vitamin D plays an important role in the prevention of respiratory infections such as the cold and flu.

1 Oct 2009

Drug companies take immediate measures to deliver millions of H1N1 vaccines

Drug companies are sprinting ahead in a race against the clock to deliver millions of doses of vaccine for the H1N1 influenza virus before cooler weather ushers in the 2009-2010 flu season. A two-part cover story in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly newsmagazine, focuses on that topic and efforts to develop antiviral drugs for flu infections.

1 Oct 2009

Fetal exposure to H1N1 flu can increase risk of heart disease

People exposed to a H1NI strain of influenza A while in utero were significantly more likely to have cardiovascular disease later in life, reveals a new study to be published in Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease on Oct. 1.

1 Oct 2009

The RMC foundation develops videos for schools on how to tackle swine flu

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the H1N1 swine flu could be severe enough to cause major staffing shortages and other workplace disruptions, the supply of vaccines to prevent the disease is taking longer to produce than originally forecast.

1 Oct 2009

Swine flu vaccine distribution plan for Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Health today discussed the state's distribution plans for the new pandemic H1N1 vaccine.

1 Oct 2009

Update from BioCryst Pharmaceuticals regarding intravenous peramivir

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has delivered a written response to the request for proposal (RFP) announced on September 21, 2009 from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) for the supply of intravenous (i.v) peramivir for the treatment of critically ill influenza patients under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). BioCryst management intends to provide an update once the RFP process has reached a conclusion.

1 Oct 2009

The Replikin Count of H1N1 virus’s infectivity gene shows continued elevation

The latest H1N1 genomic data shows a 50% drop in the Replikin CountTM of the virus’s replikins lethality gene since its recorded highs in April 2009. In contrast, the Replikin Count of the virus’s infectivity gene showed a continued elevation.

30 Sep 2009

TheraDoc's patient safety surveillance system helps hospitals manage their H1N1 responses effectively

As the battle against the H1N1 influenza outbreak continues, hospitals are on the front lines, charged with identifying, treating, monitoring, and reporting flu cases—as well as preventing their spread to other patients and hospital personnel. To facilitate this arduous task, a growing number of U.S. hospitals are using a patient safety surveillance system developed by TheraDoc that helps them more effectively coordinate their responses to this serious public health threat.

30 Sep 2009