Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

New Yorkers reported having one or more respiratory problems after 9/11

Most enrollees in the World Trade Center Health Registry reported having one or more respiratory problems that either began or got worse in the weeks and months after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City

24 Nov 2004

Scientists have given blind nerve cells the ability to detect light

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have given "blind" nerve cells the ability to detect light, paving the way for an innovative therapy that could restore sight to those who have lost it through disease.

24 Nov 2004

FDA approval of Tysabri, for the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Biogen and Elan Corporation have announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tysabri (natalizumab), as treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) to reduce the frequency of clinical relapses.

24 Nov 2004

Low-glycemic load diets may make dieting easier

Low-glycemic load diets, those low in sugars with moderate levels of carbohydrates and not as low in fat and protein, may lower metabolism less when compared with low-fat diets, making the dieters feel less tired, cold and hungry, as well as improve cardiovascular risk factors

24 Nov 2004

Crystals may help to revolutionise drug discovery

A groundbreaking technique developed at The University of Manchester, which uses crystals to map ‘invisible’ parts of molecules, is set to revolutionise drug discovery.

From The University of Manchester 24 Nov 2004

Gillain-Barre syndrome following influenza vaccination has decreased over the past 12 years

The number of reported cases of Gillain-Barre syndrome (a rare paralytic disorder) that occur following influenza vaccination has decreased over the past 12 years, according to a study in the November 24 issue of JAMA.

24 Nov 2004

Researchers recommend vaccinating adolescents against whooping cough

Experts are recommending that adolescents and some adults be vaccinated against whooping cough to help prevent infection and potential transmission to infants, according to the December 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

23 Nov 2004

Battle of Waterloo could help doctors fight death from multiple organ failure

Waterloo’s battlefield is reigniting the debate about whether modern medicine is always good for you, according to University College London (UCL) scientists who are launching a study of why some critically ill patients recover and others die from multiple organ failure - the number one killer of patients in intensive care.

23 Nov 2004

Ingredient present in chocolate could help stop persistent coughs

According to research published online in FASEB Journal the team have discovered that theobromine, a derivative found in cocoa, is nearly a third more effective in stopping persistent coughs when compared with codeine, currently considered the best cough medicine.

23 Nov 2004

FDA Vioxx fiasco raises questions about AIDS drug approvals for developing world

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), today noted that the current "FDA fiasco" involving the agency's initial approval and subsequent recall of Merck's troubled arthritis drug, Vioxx, raises serious questions about the FDA's ongoing parallel role in the approval of generic AIDS drugs for widespread use in Africa and the developing world.

19 Nov 2004

Parainfluenza virus found in Hong Kong patients

A CHP spokesman said PIVs are spread by respiratory secretions through close contact with infected persons or contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.

18 Nov 2004

Nearly two-thirds of smokers are not concerned about developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of smokers are not concerned about developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), America’s fourth ranking cause of death even though more than half of them (55 percent) experience at least one of the symptoms of COPD a minimum of once a week.

18 Nov 2004

Low-cost antibiotic co-trimoxazole should be given to all children with HIV in developing countries

Results of a randomised trial in this week’s issue of THE LANCET highlight how the low-cost antibiotic co-trimoxazole should be given to all children with HIV in developing countries to help reduce illness and death from opportunistic infections such as pneumonia.

18 Nov 2004

Computerized reminder systems increase influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates

Computer-based standing orders are more effective than computerized reminders to physicians in increasing influenza and pneumococcal vaccine administration for hospitalized patients, according to an article in the November 17 issue of JAMA.

17 Nov 2004

Answer to the increase of flu cases may be extremely minute seasonal changes

Flu season is on its way to homes across Canada. But the question of why influenza epidemics take place in the few cold months of winter remains unanswered. Is it the change in the weather? The return to school? Or increased viral production under winter conditions?

16 Nov 2004

Researchers find effective treatment for Unusual Fever Syndrome caused by cold exposure

Remember when Grandma used to say, "don’t go out in the cold; you’ll get sick”? It turns out that she was right for a small number of people who have a condition called familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome (FCAS)

16 Nov 2004

Computer models to combat the H5N1 strain of the bird influenza virus

A group of scientists who are developing computer models to combat infectious diseases have focused their attention on the H5N1 strain of the bird influenza virus.

16 Nov 2004

Hong Kong hospital activates infectious disease procedures

The Caritas Medical Centre situated in Shamshuipo, Hong Kong has activated infectious disease procedures following the admission of four more children with respiratory illness symptoms. This brings the total number of cases at the hospital to 28.

16 Nov 2004

Carbon dioxide laser could be the fix for photoaging or skin damaged by the sun

Excessive exposure to the sun early in life can make a person look older than he/she really is. Premature wrinkling and skin damage from sun exposure is also called photoaging. Photoaging, unlike natural aging, results in course, dry skin, freckling, skin discoloration, leathery skin, and deep wrinkles.

16 Nov 2004

Discovery of new compounds that may treat mucus build-up associated with cystic fibrosis

Preliminary studies show these compounds improve the flow of mucus through the respiratory tract, allowing airways to clear more quickly and efficiently.

14 Nov 2004