Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

Killer flu pandemic is inevitable and world is not prepared, says WHO

The World Health Organisation has said that the world is not prepared for a global flu pandemic and that resources are inadequate.

12 Mar 2019

Study uncovers potential new strategy to treat influenza A

A team of researchers from Scripps Research and Janssen Research & Development LLC has discovered an orally active small molecule that neutralizes influenza A group 1 viruses, the most common flu strains.

11 Mar 2019

Yearly flu shot may also protect from having a heart attack

There's now another reason to get your yearly flu shot. Not only can it protect you from the body aches, fever and fatigue associated with a bout of influenza, it may even prevent you from having a heart attack, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session.

8 Mar 2019

Diet may drive exposure to influenza A virus in wild mammals

Given the importance and wide distribution of Influenza A viruses, it is surprising how little is known about infections of wild mammals.

7 Mar 2019

Discovery of protein, lipid connection could lead to new influenza therapies

The connection between an influenza virus surface protein and a host cell lipid has been discovered by researchers at the University of Maine and the National Institutes of Health. Confirmation of direct interaction between the protein and lipid could lead to new antiviral therapies.

6 Mar 2019

New insights into influenza A infection and its spread

A new route of influenza A infection viruses has been discovered by the researchers at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and the University of Zurich. At present the knowledge regarding influenza A infection spread is mainly restricted to the binding of the sialic moieties of the virus to the cell surface of the host.

5 Mar 2019

New study discovers entirely new infection route for influenza A viruses

Researchers from the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and the University of Zurich have discovered an entirely new infection route for influenza A viruses.

5 Mar 2019

Ethan Lindenberger's vaccine debate heads to congress

Ethan Lindenberger, 18 from Norwalk, Ohio, started rebelling against his parents, like many other teenagers. The reason behind this making news is that his parents were against vaccination and he got himself inoculated against their wishes.

4 Mar 2019

Scientists discover new infection route for influenza A viruses

The immunologically relevant MHC class II molecules are ubiquitously found in many animal species, which is why the discovery will play an important role in assessing the risk of spill-over infections to other species than bats.

4 Mar 2019

Researchers find how bats remain immune to various infections

An international research team led by Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, has identified molecular and genetic mechanisms that allow bats to stay healthy while hosting viruses that kill other animals, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Microbiology.

27 Feb 2019

Disease X: an unknown disease that could claim millions of lives

Dubbed ‘Disease X’, scientists believe a future epidemic of the influenza virus could cause millions of deaths worldwide.

25 Feb 2019

Reduced antibody adaptability may make the elderly more vulnerable to influenza

The influenza vaccine may be less effective in the elderly because their B cells are less capable of producing antibodies that can adapt to protect against new viral strains, researchers report February 19 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.

21 Feb 2019

Bat influenza viruses could potentially attack the cells of humans and livestock

Bats don't only carry the deadly Ebola virus, but are also a reservoir for a new type of influenza virus.

20 Feb 2019

Study reveals how helper T cells support memory cells to function optimally

The immune system's killer T cells are crucial in fighting viral infections. A fraction of them, called 'memory cells', live on once infection is controlled in order to fight re-infection by the same virus. They are of great interest as the basis of T cell-based vaccination and immunotherapies.

20 Feb 2019

Influenza and common cold are completely different diseases, study shows

There is a lack of information about the difference between influenza, "real" flu, and the common cold. Most people struggle to distinguish between these two diseases and this often leads to irritation and the perpetuation of myths.

19 Feb 2019

Researchers comprehensively sequence the human immune system

For the first time ever, researchers are comprehensively sequencing the human immune system, which is billions of times larger than the human genome. In a new study published in Nature from the Human Vaccines Project, scientists have sequenced a key part of this vast and mysterious system -- the genes encoding the circulating B cell receptor repertoire.

14 Feb 2019

Study estimates value of investing in antibiotic to reduce repercussion in influenza pandemic

There have been roughly three global pandemic influenza outbreaks each century for the past four hundred years, each of which have resulted in larger numbers of infections and deaths.

13 Feb 2019

Scientists receive $1.5 million to develop new technology for detecting healthcare-associated infections

Healthcare-associated infections are the fourth leading cause of death in Canada, predicted to move up to second place by 2050.

8 Feb 2019

Caltech scientists develop new methods for rapidly determining T cell targets

The human body's immune system is like a vast team of special agents. Certain cells called T cells each individually specialize in recognizing a particular intruder, such as the influenza virus or salmonella.

8 Feb 2019

New research on viral biology could lead to efficient vaccines against leishmaniasis

New research from McGill University has found that a virus infecting the Leishmania parasite spreads by exploiting a mechanism used for cell-to-cell communication, a discovery that could pave the way to new vaccines against infections that cause severe disfiguration.

8 Feb 2019