Flu

Discovery Offers Potential For Drugs To Fight Bird Flu, Other Influenza Epidemics

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | yesterday

Researchers at Rutgers University and The University of Texas at Austin have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs to fight the much-feared bird flu and other virulent strains of influenza.

• Discovery Opens Door for Drugs to Fight Bird Flu, Other Influenza Epidemics - Curing Death by Curing Aging
• Study Could Aid Bird Flu Drugs - Science - The Post Chronicle
• See the 5 articles on the same subject

Bacterial Pneumonia Caused Most Deaths in 1918 Influenza Pandemic

PandemicFlu.gov (Free subscription) | 20/08/2008

The majority of deaths during the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 were not caused by the influenza virus acting alone, report researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Instead, most victims succumbed to bacterial pneumonia following influenza virus infection.

Pandemic Research Receives $1.6M Funding Boost

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 30/07/2008

Densely populated cities and increased air travel can be factors which create and spread pandemic disease. But a McMaster University researcher is working with isolated Hutterite communities to understand the transmission of pandemic diseases like influenza. Dr. Mark Loeb and his research team have received $1.

Roche Introduces Program To Facilitate Corporate Pandemic Stockpiling Of Tamiflu(R)

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 30/06/2008

Roche announced the introduction of a flexible purchase program that will allow U.S. businesses to maintain access to their own stockpile of Tamiflu® for use in a pandemic situation, with limited upfront investment and more adaptability to deal with unknown factors inherent in pandemic planning. Under the new plan, businesses pay a nominal annual fee to "reserve" their own stockpile of Tamiflu, which...

Experts Urge Expanding Influenza Vaccination Season To Increase Immunization Rates, Protect More Americans

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 27/06/2008

Health care professionals should increase influenza immunization rates by implementing key, practice-proven interventions and offering vaccine at every opportunity throughout the entire influenza season, conclude leading influenza experts in a July 2008 supplement to The American Journal of Medicine.

Hopes Of Cure For Common Cold On The Horizon

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 24/06/2008

A nasal spray that mimics our own natural defense system may be the answer to beating the common cold, according to a report in the latest issue of the Society of Chemical Industry's (SCI) magazine, Chemistry & Industry.The spray, being produced by the Califormia based company Novabay, contains an analogue of N-Chlorotaurine (NCT), a compound produced by white blood cells when they are attacked.

HHS Awards Contracts for the Development of Faster Influenza Diagnostic Tests

PandemicFlu.gov (Free subscription) | 13/06/2008

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $12.9 million for the development of low-cost influenza tests that can detect and differentiate seasonal human influenza viruses from avian influenza within three hours.

Diet Key To Fighting Winter Colds And Flu

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 22/05/2008

Tired of catching every winter bug that goes around? Boosting antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables could be the best defence against winter sniffles and sneezes, according to Accredited Practising Dietitians. The Dietitians Association of Australia said fruit and vegetables contained the right mix of antioxidants for a healthy immune system.

Flu Vaccine Only 44 Per Cent Effective This Year, CDC

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 18/04/2008

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this year's seasonal flu vaccine has only been 44 per cent effective. And depending on how you look at the effectiveness in the various strains, it would appear overall to be the least effective vaccine for since the 1997-98 flu season when the vaccine effectiveness was essentially zero, the CDC told a press conference.

AirInSpace Is Certified To Protect Aircraft Passengers And Crew From Biological Threats Such As SARS And Avian Flu And Other Air Contaminants

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 18/04/2008

AirInSpace, a leading supplier of mobile devices that "catch and kill" harmful and resistant biological particles from the air, announced that its partner, Montreal-based Air Data Inc. (ADI), has been certified by the airworthiness branch of Transport Canada to manufacture and market ADI's JetAir® Bio-Protection System (BPS), business jet version.

Scientists Track Seasonal Flu's Global Journey

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 17/04/2008

Scientists from around the world have teamed up to track the way the seasonal flu virus travels from its origins in East and Southeast Asia to where it fizzles out in South America. They hope the discovery will help to improve flu vaccines by making it easier to anticipate how the virus evolves.

Novavax Reports Positive Results From Preclinical Studies Of Its VLP-based Trivalent Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Candidate

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 17/04/2008

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) said that it has received positive results from an immunogenicity study in ferrets inoculated with the company's trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidate.

Restrictions On The Use Of OTC Cough And Cold Medicines In Children, Australia

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 15/04/2008

Pharmacists are asked to advise all customers requesting any OTC cough and cold product that these medicines should not be used in infants and children less than 2 years of age. There have been a number of overseas reports of serious adverse effects among infants and children given non-prescription cough and cold medicines.

The Aethlon Hemopurifier(R) To Test Against The Partially Reconstructed 1918 Influenza Virus

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 14/04/2008

Aethlon Medical, Inc. (OTCBB:AEMD) disclosed that it has initiated studies to test the in vitro effectiveness of the Aethlon Hemopurifier® to capture a partially reconstructed version of the Spanish Flu of 1918, a viral pandemic outbreak that killed approximately 40-50 million people during a 25-month time span.

Computer Modelling Determines That 1 In 7 Cases Of Bird Flu Could Be Prevented By Closing Schools In Event Of Pandemic

Medical News Today (Free subscription) | 10/04/2008

Closing schools in the event of a flu pandemic could slow the spread of the virus and prevent up to one in seven cases, according to a new study published today in the journal Nature.