Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

New research reveals special face masks prevent clinical respiratory and bacterial infections

Health care workers who consistently wear special fitted face masks while on duty are much less likely to get clinical respiratory and bacterial infections, according to new research led by University of New South Wales academics.

27 Feb 2013

Govs brace for impact of scheduled cuts in home states

The nation's governors met in Washington over the weekend, and among their hottest topics: a White House warning regarding the state-by-state impact of sequestration, which is scheduled to kick in March 1.

26 Feb 2013

Researchers identify new function for matriptase enzyme

Dr. Martin Richter (pharmacology), investigator with the Centre de recherche clinique Étienne-Le Bel (CRCELB) at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) and professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS), and his collaborators have identified a new function of the enzyme matriptase, present in the human respiratory system, that can activate a viral protein involved in infections caused by the H1N1 influenza (or flu) virus.

24 Feb 2013

New drug proves to be effective in preventing spread of different flu strains

The new drug has been proven to be effective in preventing the spread of different strains of influenza in laboratory models - including resistant strains of the virus.

24 Feb 2013

New drug to safeguard against epidemic and pandemic flu strains

CSIRO scientists have helped to design a new drug to safeguard against epidemic and pandemic flu strains – as published in Science today.

22 Feb 2013

New molecular compounds can kill the influenza virus

Simon Fraser University virologist Masahiro Niikura and his doctoral student Nicole Bance are among an international group of scientists that has discovered a new class of molecular compounds capable of killing the influenza virus.

22 Feb 2013

Majority of businesses are not adequately prepared for many types of disasters

A recent study by Saint Louis University researchers found that majority of businesses are not adequately prepared for many types of disasters, especially biological events such as a pandemic.

22 Feb 2013

UCB seeks FDA and EMA marketing authorization for Cimzia to treat active psoriatic arthritis

UCB announced today two new regulatory filings with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to extend the marketing authorization for Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and for adult patients with active axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

20 Feb 2013

University of Louisville research team explores H1N1 outbreak

Just the mention of H1N1 can conjure up images of long lines of people waiting to be vaccinated, news reports of the severity of the pandemic and the count of the number of people who perished from the 2009-10 outbreak. However, some positives are coming forward.

20 Feb 2013

Study evaluates effectiveness of H1N1 vaccine in pregnant women against adverse infant outcomes

Pregnant women who received the H1N1 influenza vaccine during the 2009 pandemic were less likely to have premature babies, and their babies weighed more on average.

20 Feb 2013

BioCryst fourth quarter revenues decrease to $4.1 million

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2012.

19 Feb 2013

Patients with untreated depression are poorly protected by shingles vaccination

Results from a new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases suggest a link between untreated depression in older adults and decreased effectiveness of the herpes zoster, or shingles, vaccine.

16 Feb 2013

Depression reduces efficacy of shingles vaccine

Research suggests that the varicella zoster, or shingles, vaccine is less effective in older people with untreated depression.

15 Feb 2013

Cambodia, China report cases of avian influenza H5N1

"Cambodia reported on Wednesday that another four-year-old girl has contracted avian influenza H5N1, becoming the seventh person who infected the virus in 2013," Xinhua reports.

14 Feb 2013

Study finds human MPV as second most common cause of severe bronchiolitis in young children

New Vanderbilt-led research published in the Feb. 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine has identified the relatively unknown human metapneumovirus (MPV) as the second most common cause of severe bronchiolitis in young children.

14 Feb 2013

Researchers describe novel antiviral property of cholesterol-25-hydroxylase

A team of UCLA-led researchers has identified a protein with broad virus-fighting properties that potentially could be used as a weapon against deadly human pathogenic viruses such as HIV, Ebola, Rift Valley Fever, Nipah and others designated "priority pathogens" for national biosecurity purposes by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

13 Feb 2013

LASAG trial for severe influenza initiated

...

12 Feb 2013

Individualized flu immune responses revealed by high-throughput sequencing

Researchers have shown that it is possible to create personalized, individual-specific measurements of the antibody repertoire in response to influenza vaccination using high-throughput DNA sequencing technology.

11 Feb 2013

Wichita State associate professor writes two books about flu

The flu: It's a popular topic of conversation lately, as most people probably know someone who has gotten sick this winter. But for Wichita State associate professor George Dehner, the flu is a year-round focus. Dehner, who teaches world and environmental history, recently wrote two books about the flu.

11 Feb 2013

Biogen Idec, Sobi release data from rFVIIIFc and rFIXFc phase 3 trials on hemophilia

Biogen Idec and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi) released data that confirmed the ability of investigational recombinant factors VIII Fc fusion protein (rFVIIIFc) and IX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) to provide long-lasting protection from bleeding with fewer injections than are required with the current standard of care for people with hemophilia.

10 Feb 2013