Breaking News: Influenza

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Released: 12-Dec-2018 1:05 PM EST
Tube travel linked to the spread of flu-like illnesses
University of Bristol

Despite the commuter cold being a widely accepted concept, it has never been proven that public transport contributes to the spread of airborne infections. Now new research on the London underground commute has proven a link does exist.

Released: 11-Dec-2018 4:05 PM EST
FSU researchers find racial inequity among adolescents receiving flu vaccine
Florida State University

Black adolescents living in the United States tend to receive the influenza vaccine at significantly lower rates than their white and Hispanic counterparts, according to Florida State University researchers. A new study, led by former FSU graduate student Noah Webb, along with current graduate student Benjamin Dowd-Arrow and Associate Professors of Sociology Miles Taylor and Amy Burdette, was recently published in Public Health Reports.

Released: 6-Dec-2018 1:05 PM EST
More people getting flu vaccine this year, says UGA study
University of Georgia

Compared with last year more adults getting and intending to get a flu vaccination in 2018-19 flu season

Released: 5-Dec-2018 12:05 PM EST
Memory B cells in the lung may be important for more effective influenza vaccinations
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Researchers show that lung-resident memory B cells establish themselves in the lung soon after influenza infection in mice. Those lung memory B cells respond more quickly to produce antibodies against influenza after re-infection, and establishment requires a local antigen encounter in the lung.

Released: 3-Dec-2018 8:05 AM EST
A New Approach to Studying the Flu
Washington University in St. Louis

Borrowing methods from another field, researchers can now study the ever changing nature if Influenza A.

Released: 27-Nov-2018 3:05 PM EST
Study Predicts Novel Approach to Battling Influenza
University of California San Diego

Every year, three to five million people around the world suffer from severe illness caused by influenza, primarily during the months of November through March. Now a new study by researchers from several universities including UC San Diego, published earlier this month in ACS Central Science, suggests a novel approach for combatting this sometimes deadly virus.

   
15-Nov-2018 8:05 AM EST
Does an “echo chamber” of information impede flu vaccination for children?
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Nearly a third of parents say they are not planning to get their child the vaccine this year, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan.

Released: 14-Nov-2018 2:05 PM EST
The Medical Minute: Preventing shingles through vaccination
Penn State Health

While this season is usually associated with the flu vaccine, adults, especially those who are older than 50, should also consider getting a vaccine for shingles.

5-Nov-2018 5:30 AM EST
Bacterial Pneumonia Far More Dangerous to the Heart Than Viral Pneumonia, Study Finds
Intermountain Medical Center

Heart complications in patients diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia are more serious than in patients diagnosed with viral pneumonia, according to new research from the Intermountain Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

Released: 5-Nov-2018 12:05 PM EST
Tethered antibodies present a potential new approach to prevent influenza virus infections all season long
Scripps Research Institute

As co-leaders of an international collaboration, scientists at Scripps Research have discovered that tethering four antibodies together may be an effective strategy for neutralizing all types of influenza virus known to infect humans.

   
Released: 2-Nov-2018 4:05 PM EDT
Molecular virologist fights influenza at the molecular level
University of Alabama at Birmingham

In research to improve influenza therapies against H7N9 and other influenza strains, Chad Petit and colleagues have detailed the binding site and mechanism of inhibition for two small-molecule experimental inhibitors of influenza viruses. Their report is published in the Journal of Biochemistry,

31-Oct-2018 3:50 PM EDT
Team Seeks to Identify Immune Response to Influenza
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt researchers, as part of the International Human Vaccines Project, are searching for the key to lasting protection against influenza by examining naturally protecting cells found in bone marrow.

24-Oct-2018 11:30 AM EDT
When it comes to respiratory effects of wood smoke, sex matters
University of North Carolina School of Medicine

Exposure to wood smoke can have different effects on the respiratory immune systems of men and women – effects that may be obscured when data from men and women are lumped together.

17-Oct-2018 10:05 AM EDT
High-Dose Influenza Vaccine Linked with Lower Hospitalization Rates in Dialysis Patients
American Society of Nephrology (ASN)

• Receiving high-dose vs. standard dose influenza vaccine in 2016-17 was associated with lower rates of hospitalization in dialysis patients, although this association was not seen in 2015-16 (when few dialysis patients received the high-dose vaccine). • There were no differences in rates of death between patients receiving the high-dose vs. standard dose influenza vaccine during either time period.

16-Oct-2018 2:30 PM EDT
High-Dose Vaccine Enhances Production of Antibodies Against Flu in RA Patients
American College of Rheumatology (ACR)

High-dose influenza vaccination substantially improves immune responses against influenza in adults with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, according to new research findings presented this week at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting .

Released: 17-Oct-2018 10:00 PM EDT
Fighting the Flu: With the Return of Influenza Season, Now is the Best Time to Protect Yourself
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Fighting the Flu: With the Return of Influenza Season, Now is the Best Time to Protect Yourself 10/17/2018 AddThis Sharing Buttons Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to EmailShare to PrintShare to More An interview with Lisa Maragakis and Aaron Milstone about the flu. Credit: Johns Hopkins Medicine With the start of the flu season, cases have surfaced in regions around the country, and Johns Hopkins Medicine experts expect to see that number continue to grow through the winter. Doctors recommend that everyone 6 months and older get the flu vaccine each year to prevent the virus or reduce the seriousness if you do get sick.

Released: 1-Oct-2018 12:05 PM EDT
Should My Employer Require Me to Get a Flu Shot?
Ohio State University

Efthimios Parasidis, associate professor of law and public health at The Ohio State University, talks about whether or not it's a good idea for companies to mandate that their employees get a flu shot. Status of House Bill 193: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-status?id=GA132-HB-193

Released: 28-Sep-2018 12:05 PM EDT
Building a Flu Factory From Host Cell Components
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)

A quantitative proteomic study of how influenza virus affects lung-derived cell lines found that protein synthesis machinery relocates to the autophagosome in infected cells.

Released: 26-Sep-2018 4:05 PM EDT
Have Diabetes? Don’t Skip Recommended Vaccines
Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES)

Diabetes makes it harder for the immune system to fight off some infections, leaving people with the condition at a higher risk for serious complications from vaccine-preventable diseases, like the flu, pneumonia, hepatitis B, tetanus and shingles.

Released: 21-Sep-2018 3:30 PM EDT
Cancer, Pneumonia and Flu, and You
Fight Colorectal Cancer

With fall just around the corner, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) expects flu season to begin ramping up within the next few months.

Released: 20-Sep-2018 10:05 AM EDT
ACI Responds to "Sensational" Study Claims on Cleaners, Disinfectants
American Cleaning Institute

A study and related analysis claiming cleaners and disinfectants contribute to children’s risk of being overweight are “sensational” and “don’t really hold up,” according to the American Cleaning Institute.​

   
12-Sep-2018 2:05 PM EDT
Flu Vaccination Rates in Clinics Drop as Day Progresses, but Computerized Nudges Help Give Them a Boost, Penn Study Finds
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

– Primary care clinics experienced a significant decline in influenza vaccinations as the day progressed, researchers from Penn Medicine report in a new study published in JAMA Open Network. However, “nudging” clinical staff to order vaccines using a behavioral economics technique known as “active choice” may help curb some of that drop off, the study suggests. The study is the first to show how clinic appointment times can influence influenza vaccination rates.

Released: 13-Sep-2018 3:05 PM EDT
Flu Season: What You Need to Know
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Infectious disease experts at Rutgers University explain this year’s flu season and how you can stay healthy

Released: 6-Sep-2018 1:15 PM EDT
Synthetic DNA Vaccine Effective Against Influenza A Virus Subtype That Is Responsible for More Severe Influenza Seasons
Wistar Institute

Wistar scientists have engineered a synthetic DNA vaccine shown to produce broad immune responses against these H3N2 viruses.

Released: 6-Sep-2018 8:05 AM EDT
Single-Dose Drug Can Shorten Flu Symptoms By About a Day, Studies Suggest
University of Virginia Health System

A single dose of a new influenza drug can significantly shorten the duration of the illness in teens and adults, according to a study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

Released: 30-Aug-2018 8:05 AM EDT
The Medical Minute: Immunization the Best Defense Against Measles
Penn State Health

High fever. Cough. Runny nose. Red, watery eyes. It may not be the flu. It could be measles.

24-Aug-2018 2:05 PM EDT
Immune System Prioritizes Distinct Immune Responses in Infants with Flu
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

The immune system appears to put a premium on maintaining lung function in infants infected with the influenza virus by mounting a rapid response to repair damaged cells, according to research led by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Released: 21-Aug-2018 12:25 PM EDT
U of M Researchers Decode the Spanish Flu, Advance in Microbial ‘Arms Race’
University of Manitoba

The 1918 “Spanish Flu” was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, killing 50-100 million people.

Released: 1-Aug-2018 2:05 PM EDT
Ebola Virus - Subject Matter Experts
Georgetown University Medical Center

WASHINGTON — Georgetown University professors offer expertise for journalists seeking interviews in a variety of subjects related to Ebola. Topics include infectious disease control and treatment, vaccine development, clinical trials, global health security, and international health regulations. To schedule an interview, please contact Karen Teber at km463@georgetown.

Released: 17-Jul-2018 10:20 AM EDT
Why Men Might Recover From Flu Faster Than Women
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Men may recover more quickly from influenza infections because they produce more of a key lung-healing protein, a study from scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests.

22-Jun-2018 9:05 AM EDT
How the Flu Virus Builds a Better Mousetrap
Tufts University

For the first time, scientists have directly visualized real-time structural changes in the surface protein of the influenza virus that may help the virus fuse with and enter target cells before hijacking them. Single molecules of the protein were found to stretch toward target cells, then refold and try again 5 to 10 times per second. The discovery may help develop more effective vaccines and better understand other viruses, including Ebola, HIV, and SARS.

   
Released: 25-Jun-2018 3:00 PM EDT
Scientists Take a Journey Into the Lungs of Mice Infected with Influenza
University of Wisconsin–Madison

Using a new tool they call FluVision, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers are able to witness influenza infection in a living animal in action. It helps them better understand what happens when a virus infects the lungs and the body responds.

Released: 22-Jun-2018 3:40 PM EDT
Penn Study Reveals New Therapeutic Target for Slowing the Spread of Flu Virus
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Influenza A hijacks host proteins for viral RNA splicing and blocking these interactions caused replication of the virus to slow, which could point to novel strategies for antiviral therapies.

4-Jun-2018 3:00 PM EDT
Flu Virus is Protected by Mucus When Airborne, Regardless of Humidity
Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh

Mucus and other airway secretions that are expelled when a person with the flu coughs or exhales appear to protect the virus when it becomes airborne, regardless of humidity levels, a creative experiment conducted by the University of Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech discovered.

Released: 2-May-2018 11:05 AM EDT
Scripps Research Scientists Receive $12 Million for Malaria and Flu Vaccine Research
Scripps Research Institute

With the new funding from the Gates Foundation, the Scripps Research team will expand their studies of neutralizing antibodies.

   
20-Apr-2018 7:00 PM EDT
Unraveling Genetic Mystery Next Step in Zika and Dengue Fight
Vanderbilt University

How a bacteria hijacked insect fertility remained a mystery for five decades, until Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Seth Bordenstein and his team helped solve it.

Released: 18-Apr-2018 10:05 AM EDT
Scientist Creates System to Quickly Detect Food Pathogens
University of Georgia

University of Georgia food scientist Xiangyu Deng has created a system that can identify foodborne pathogens in a fraction of the time taken by traditional methods.

   
Released: 11-Apr-2018 3:15 PM EDT
Dining Dilemmas Give WFU Students Food for Thought from Dining Room to Treatment Room
Wake Forest University

Wake Forest University students participating in next week’s “Dining Dilemmas” have a healthy appetite for exploring bioethics and building community.

9-Apr-2018 11:05 AM EDT
Genetic Screening Tool Identifies How the Flu Infiltrates Cells
University of Chicago Medical Center

Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a genetic screening tool that identified two key factors that allow the influenza virus to infect human lung cells. The technique uses new gene editing tools to create a library of modified cells, each missing a different gene, allowing scientists to see which changes impact their response to flu. This in turn could identify potential targets for antiviral drugs.

30-Mar-2018 11:05 AM EDT
For a Better Influenza Vaccine, Focus on the Neglected “N”
University of Chicago Medical Center

In the April 5, 2018 issue of the journal Cell, researchers push for greater emphasis on the neglected viral-surface influenza protein neuraminidase. For decades, flu vaccines have concentrated on hemagglutinin. The authors maintain that a focus on neuraminidase could lower infection rates and lessen severity.

2-Apr-2018 12:00 PM EDT
Scripps Research Discovery Paves Way for Better Flu Prevention, Treatment
Scripps Research Institute

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a new aspect of the flu virus and how it interacts with antibodies in the lungs.

   
Released: 27-Mar-2018 3:05 PM EDT
Are You More Likely to Get Sick When The Seasons Change? Here's What Experts Say
Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital

Research suggests the common cold thrives in cooler temperatures. One recent study from Yale University found a seven-degree drop in ambient temperature can mess with your body’s ability to stop cold viruses from proliferating.

23-Mar-2018 6:05 PM EDT
Antibiotic Use Increases Risk of Severe Viral Disease in Mice
Washington University in St. Louis

Doctors recommend against taking antibiotics for viral infections because they don't work – antibiotics don't kill viruses – and do promote antibiotic resistance. A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests another reason to avoid the pills: Taking antibiotics increases susceptibility to subsequent viral infection, at least in mice.

Released: 27-Mar-2018 10:05 AM EDT
From Feed to Fever: Kansas State University Researcher Studies Risk of African Swine Fever in Feed
Kansas State University

A Kansas State University researcher is studying the risk of African swine fever virus in feed and developing ways to prevent the spread of the disease to the U.S.

Released: 19-Mar-2018 9:05 AM EDT
Vanderbilt University Medical Center Recruiting Volunteers for Investigational Bird Flu Vaccine Study
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is recruiting volunteers to participate in a national study of an investigational vaccine against the H7N9 influenza virus, also known as “bird flu.”

6-Mar-2018 9:00 AM EST
Progress Toward a New Flu Treatment, Thanks to a Small Tweak
American Chemical Society (ACS)

This year’s unexpectedly aggressive flu season reminds everyone that although the flu vaccine can reduce the number of people who contract the virus, it is still not 100 percent effective. Researchers report that a tweak to a small-molecule drug shows promise for future production of new antiviral therapies that could help patients, regardless of the strain with which they are infected.



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