Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Hospitalized COVID patients displayed multiple organ abnormalities five months after infection

A study looking at the longer-term impact of COVID-19 has found that nearly a third of patients displayed abnormalities in multiple organs five months after infection, some of which have been shown through previous work to be evidence of tissue damage.

28 Sep 2023

Hotter days in New York linked to spike in substance abuse hospital visits

New study finds a positive correlation between rising temperatures and increased hospital visits for alcohol and substance-related disorders in New York State. The research suggests that climate change could exacerbate negative outcomes related to substance abuse.

27 Sep 2023

Researchers develop new way to boost immune cells' ability to fight TB

Tuberculosis is old-;ancient even. The infectious bacterial disease that plagued Old Testament Israelites and took down pharaohs was eventually stunted by vaccinations, antibiotics, and public health measures like isolation, but it hasn't been cured yet.

27 Sep 2023

As covid infections rise, nursing homes are still waiting for vaccines

"Covid is not pretty in a nursing home," said Deb Wityk, a 70-year-old retired massage therapist who lives in one called Spurgeon Manor, in rural Iowa. She twice contracted the disease and is eager to get the newly approved vaccine because she has chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which weakens her immune system.

27 Sep 2023

Surrey researchers develop new rapid electronic diagnostic test for infectious diseases

A new molecular test for bacteria and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 has been developed by scientists at the University of Surrey, as they warn that the world needs to be prepared for the next pandemic.

27 Sep 2023

Medication and mutations: molnupiravir's impact on SARS-CoV-2 genomes

Researchers discovered molnupiravir-associated mutational signatures in SARS-CoV-2 genomes.

27 Sep 2023

Promising potential of probiotics and their byproducts for targeting antibiotic-resistant bacteria

The use of probiotics and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) against multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria.

27 Sep 2023

Early feeding practices key to shaping lifelong oral microbiome

Research delves into the little-explored world of the infant oral microbiome, examining how early nutrition and environmental factors shape it. With implications for lifelong health, the research aims to guide future health recommendations, emphasizing the need for more longitudinal studies and advanced sequencing techniques.

26 Sep 2023

UKHSA launches centralized source for infectious disease data

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has launched the first iteration of its new dashboard, which will serve as a centralized source for infectious disease and outbreak data this winter, making it publicly available in a timely and transparent way.

26 Sep 2023

$16M NIH grant to map brain's wiring diagram

The University of Minnesota Medical School received a $16 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative to support the groundbreaking project of unraveling the mysteries of the brain's 'wiring diagram.'

26 Sep 2023

Gene-silencer study could pave the way for novel cancer therapeutics

Deep inside our cells-;each one complete with an identical set of genes-;a molecular machine known as PRC2 plays a critical role in determining which cells become heart cells, versus brain or muscle or skin cells.

26 Sep 2023

UKHSA agrees a deal to produce life-saving vaccines in the UK

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has agreed a deal for millions of life-saving vaccines to be produced in the UK if a future influenza pandemic is ever declared.

26 Sep 2023

Long COVID research plagued by flawed methods, say experts

Overly broad definitions, a lack of appropriate, or any, comparison groups, among other things, in studies looking at the incidence, prevalence, and control of the condition-;epidemiology-;have distorted the risks, say the researchers.

25 Sep 2023

One gene variant could be a shield against severe COVID-19 lung damage

Researchers identify a specific genetic variant, rs2204985, linked to less severe lung involvement and a stronger immune response in COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia. The study suggests that understanding this genetic marker could help identify high-risk individuals and enhance strategies for prevention and treatment.

25 Sep 2023

Radiation therapy combined with two types of immunotherapy could be effective against cold tumors

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered that radiation therapy combined with two types of immunotherapy-;one that boosts T cells, and another that boosts dendritic cells-;can control tumors in preclinical models of triple negative breast cancer, a cancer type that's typically resistant to immunotherapy alone.

25 Sep 2023

COVID drug molnupiravir appears to be driving SARS-CoV-2 to mutate and evolve

Molnupiravir, an antiviral drug used to treat patients with COVID-19, appears to be driving SARS-CoV-2 to mutate and evolve, with some of these new viruses being transmitted onwards, a new study has shown. It is not clear, however, whether these mutated viruses pose an increased risk to patients or are able to evade the vaccine.

25 Sep 2023

Future-proof vaccine candidate protects against wide range of coronaviruses

Studies of a 'future-proof' vaccine candidate have shown that just one antigen can be modified to provide a broadly protective immune response in animals.

25 Sep 2023

Killer T cells in older adults resemble those found in newborns, but fall short in virus detection

A world-first discovery has revealed special immune cells called 'killer T cells' in older adults, directed against influenza viruses, closely resemble those found in newborns and children, but struggle to recognize infected cells – a finding that unlocks the potential for the development of better vaccines and therapies tailored to different age groups.

25 Sep 2023

Study reveals how a tiny strand of RNA controls T-cell memory to recognize tumors

A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has shown that a single, small strand of microRNA, or miRNA, known as let-7, governs the ability of T-cells to recognize and remember tumor cells.

25 Sep 2023