Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

ID Biomedical announces strategic alliances for U.S. marketing and distribution of Fluviral vaccine

ID Biomedical Corporation announced today that it has signed long term marketing, distribution and minimum purchase agreements with three of the largest influenza vaccine wholesalers in the United States: Henry Schein, Inc.; AmerisourceBergen Corporation's Specialty Group; and McKesson Corporation.

6 Dec 2004

Canadian experts gather to address emerging issues in immunization

More than 800 physicians, nurses, public health experts and researchers are gathering in Montreal this week for the sixth Canadian Immunization Conference, running Dec. 5-8, 2004. The conference is being hosted by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society.

6 Dec 2004

Australian Government's decision to purchase sufficient influenza vaccine for the next three seasons is good health planning

Australian Medical Association Vice President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, has said the Australian Government's decision to purchase sufficient influenza vaccine for the next three seasons is good health planning.

6 Dec 2004

Pennsylvania confirms first influenza case

Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Calvin B. Johnson has announced that a 13-year-old Philadelphia County teen has the season's first, lab-confirmed case of flu.

4 Dec 2004

Oral administration of saline spray may stop spread of influenza, tuberculosis, and SARS

Some individuals exhale many more pathogen-laden droplets than others in the course of ordinary breathing, scientists have found, but oral administration of a safe saline spray every six hours might slash exhalation of germs in this group by an average 72 percent.

29 Nov 2004

Joint collaboration to fight avian influenza

Recognizing the pandemic potential and the threat to public health posed by the Avian Influenza, Health Ministers and senior officials of thirteen countries from Southeast and East Asian countries have pledged to accelerate joint collaboration in fighting the disease.

29 Nov 2004

SARS outbreak unlikely according to World Health Organization

The regional head of the World Health Organization said today that it was possible the region would experience SARS cases this winter, but he doubted the situation would be serious. "I don't think a large outbreak is likely," said Dr Shigeru Omi, Regional Director of WHO's Western Pacific Regional Office.

29 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

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

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

Canada puts in place a national plan to ensure an adequate flu vaccine supply

Per capita, more Canadians receive the flu shot than residents of any other country. The flu vaccine is the best protection against the flu virus, so it is encouraging to see that even more Canadians are getting the flu shot this season than ever before.

11 Nov 2004

Washington to get 160,000 additional doses of influenza vaccine

About 160,000 additional doses of influenza vaccine will be sent to Washington over the next two months. That is our state’s share under a formula used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to distribute the remaining vaccine around the nation.

11 Nov 2004

Pennsylvania to distribute 340,000 doses of influenza vaccine to most in need

Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Calvin B. Johnson today announced that the Department of Health will distribute about 340,000 doses of influenza vaccine that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has made available to Pennsylvanians most in need.

10 Nov 2004

Domestic ducks could pose new avian Influenza threat

Domestic ducks may be acting as a silent reservoir for the H5N1 Avian Influenza virus, which is highly pathogenic for chickens, and may thus have acquired an important new role in the transmission of the virus to other poultry and, possibly, to humans as well, three international agencies warned today.

10 Nov 2004

Nanogen announces clinical diagnostic to simultaneously detect multiple respiratory viruses

Nanogen announced today that it is developing new analyte specific reagents (ASRs) for clinical reference laboratories to develop and validate a single test to detect six of the most common respiratory viruses.

10 Nov 2004

Hong Kong launches flu vaccination programme

To prevent the spread of flu in the coming peak season, it is important that the public and private sectors work together to provide influenza vaccinations to members of the public.

8 Nov 2004

Vaccine contributions to health highlighted at PAHO meeting

Vaccine programs in the Americas have made major contributions to improving health in the Americas and new vaccines could go even further, said Dr. D.A. Henderson, a global expert who chairs a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) technical group here today.

4 Nov 2004

Hong Kong reports case of H5N1 in dead bird

The Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has confirmed that a dead Grey Heron found in Lok Ma Chau area was tested positive for H5N1 virus.

4 Nov 2004