Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

Experts say let swine flu run its course

With the number of influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) cases in Australia now over 300 federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon says the government is considering whether to elevate the nation's response to the disease from the contain to sustain phase, as it may be impossible to keep quarantining people.

1 Jun 2009

Australian swine flu toll now over 300

The World Health Organisation's last update on the outbreak of influenza A(H1N1) - swine flu says as of the 29th of May, 53 countries have officially reported 15,510 cases including 99 deaths and Australian health authorities have confirmed that more than 300 people have been diagnosed with swine flu in Australia and all states and territories are now affected by the virus.

1 Jun 2009

Stranded swine flu cruise ship plays a waiting game

According to the World Health Organisation's latest update, #40, on Influenza A H1N1 (swine flu), as of the 27th May, 48 countries have officially now reported 13,398 cases of the virus, including 95 deaths.

27 May 2009

Sanofi Pasteur receives seed virus to produce new H1N1 vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur announced today it has received the new influenza A(H1N1) seed virus, enabling the world's leading manufacturer of influenza vaccines to begin the production process for an A(H1N1) vaccine.

27 May 2009

Scientists study how virulence evolves in parasites

That's one conclusion from a new study that looked at how virulence evolves in parasites. The research examined whether parasites evolve to be more or less aggressive depending on whether they are closely connected to their hosts or scattered among more isolated clusters of hosts.

27 May 2009

Australian swine flu toll climbs but expert says threat is over-hyped

According to the World Health Organisation's latest update, # 39, as of the 26th of May the latest figures in the influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak are 12,954 confirmed cases in 46 countries, including 92 deaths.

26 May 2009

Economic recession, emerging diseases should not replace efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, IAS President says

Concerns regarding the H1N1 flu strain or the current global economic recession should not take attention away from the long-term fight against HIV/AIDS, Julio Mantaner, head of the International AIDS Society, said recently, VOA News reports.

26 May 2009

Arthritis drug Abatacept may be effective in fighting the flu

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have found that an approved drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis reduces severe illness and death in mice exposed to the Influenza A virus. Their findings suggest that tempering the response of the body's immune system to influenza infection may alleviate some of the more severe symptoms and even reduce mortality from this virus.

26 May 2009

Sanofi Pasteur receives U.S. Government order to produce new influenza A(H1N1) vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur announced today it has received the first of what is expected to be a series of orders from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to commence production of a vaccine to help protect against the new influenza A(H1N1) virus.

25 May 2009

Australian H1N1 flu toll climbs to 17

The latest update, # 37, from the World Health Organisation on the influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak says as of the 23rd of May, 43 countries have now officially reported 12,022 cases, including 86 deaths.

24 May 2009

HHS directs $1 billion towards commercial-scale production of a candidate vaccine for H1N1

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced that the department will take important steps necessary to prepare for potential commercial-scale production of a candidate vaccine for the novel Influenza A ( H1N1).

24 May 2009

Scientists map sequence mutations of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus

In just two weeks from the time the first patient virus samples were made available, Singapore scientists report an evolutionary analysis of a critical protein produced by the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus strain.

22 May 2009

Australia's swine flu toll rising

Australia's 10th confirmed case of influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) has appeared in Adelaide in South Australia - the first case for that state.

22 May 2009

62nd World Health Assembly closes with resolutions on public health

The 62nd World Health Assembly, which brought together health ministers and senior health officials from WHO's Member States, closed today with the adoption of resolutions on a variety of global health issues including primary health care, the prevention and control of multidrug- resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, public health, innovation and intellectual property and pandemic influenza preparedness. The Health Assembly also passed the Programme Budget for 2010 -2011.

22 May 2009

Parent’s trust in doctor is key for black asthmatic children

Children under 12 with persistent asthma need highly motivated parents if they are to get the benefits of regular steroid inhaler treatments and have fewer asthma attacks. That motivation starts with a good relationship between parent and doctor.

22 May 2009

Tamed virus wipes out cancer safely

Cancer Research UK scientists have tamed a virus so that it attacks and destroys cancer cells but does not harm healthy cells, according to a paper published in PLoS Pathogens, today.

22 May 2009

United States should increase its commitment to improving the health of developing nations, IOM report says

To fulfill America's humanitarian obligations as a member of the international community and to invest in the nation's long-term health, economic interests, and national security, the United States should reaffirm and increase its commitment to improving the health of developing nations, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

20 May 2009

Arsenic exposure linked to influenza A (H1N1) susceptibility

The ability to mount an immune response to influenza A (H1N1) infection is significantly compromised by a low level of arsenic exposure that commonly occurs through drinking contaminated well water, scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and Dartmouth Medical School have found.

20 May 2009

Australia's H1N1 flu cases up to 3

Australia's recorded cases of the new H1N1 flu (Swine flu) has now reached 3 with the confirmation of two new cases.

20 May 2009

Recommendations by experts to WHO on influenza A (H1N1) vaccines

Current epidemiological information suggests that the influenza A (H1N1) virus transmissibility potential is at least comparable to that of seasonal influenza viruses, with ability to sustain community spread. There is therefore no reason to expect that ongoing spread of the virus will stop.

19 May 2009