A recent study published in PLoS Pathogens found that vaccines developed from “classical H1N1 viruses (Sw/30 or NJ/76), 1918 virus-like particles, and a human H1N1 virus isolated in 1943 (Wei/43) protected against death from 2009 pandemic H1N1…” when tested in vivo in mice. Another study finding was that the “H1N1 virus underwent little antigenic drift […]
Categories: US News,Vaccine Updates
Tagged: flu, h1n1, influenza, pandemic flu, swine flu, US News, Vaccine Updates
- Published:
- February 14, 2010 – 3:05 pm
- Author:
- By The Editor
Vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks are on the rise, and are taking an increasing toll in lives and money. Moreover, the recent experience with the 2009 novel H1N1 flu outbreak served as a stark reminder that “there is no strong mechanism in place for vaccinating adults in the United States.” This is the latest brief from Trust […]
Categories: Care and Treatment,US News,Vaccine Updates
Tagged: Care and Treatment, flu, h1n1, influenza, pandemic flu, swine flu, US News, Vaccine Updates
- Published:
- February 10, 2010 – 12:45 pm
- Author:
- By The Editor
According to the latest influenza surveillance from CDC, no states have reported widespread flu activity for four consecutive weeks. However, pneumonia and influenza (P&I) mortality as a percentage of recorded deaths was 8.1% and is hovering above epidemic threshold (7.8%). One expert, speaking on background said the H1N1 epidemic has “one foot in the grave.” […]
Categories: Care and Treatment,US News,Vaccine Updates
Tagged: Care and Treatment, flu, h1n1, influenza, pandemic flu, swine flu, US News, Vaccine Updates
- Published:
- February 7, 2010 – 5:23 pm
- Author:
- By The Editor
Credibility and transparency are essential to building trust in public health communications. During unfolding public health crises, the problem of what and when to warn is an enduring policy dilemma that goes to the heart of public trust. Last week the World Health Organization (WHO) persuasively refuted spurious claims from the Council of Europe that […]
Categories: Care and Treatment,International News,US News,Vaccine Updates
Tagged: Care and Treatment, h1n1, influenza, International News, pandemic flu, swine flu, US News, Vaccine Updates
- Published:
- February 2, 2010 – 3:06 am
- Author:
- By The Editor
Despite substantial development efforts that go into antiviral drugs and vaccines for influenza, viruses are able to develop resistance due to their high mutation rates. In a recent issue of Nature, a team of German moleclar biologists make the case that by targeting host rather than viral factors, it may be possible to develop flu […]
Categories: Care and Treatment,International News,Vaccine Updates
Tagged: avian influenza, Care and Treatment, flu, h1n1, h5n1, influenza, International News, swine flu, Vaccine Updates
- Published:
- January 24, 2010 – 1:54 pm
- Author:
- By The Editor
CIDRAP reports that British researchers published one of the first large serologic studies of pandemic H1N1 infection. Serology typically involves a blood test to detect the presence of antibodies against an infecting microorganism. According to experts, serologic studies provides a sharper picture of the burden of disease than is available from flu-surveillance, and this helps […]
Categories: International News,Vaccine Updates
Tagged: flu, h1n1, influenza, swine flu, Vaccine Updates
- Published:
- January 21, 2010 – 10:06 pm
- Author:
- By The Editor
Commissioner’s Letter to Health Care Professionals Letter from the Commissioner to Nation’s Health Care Professionals on H1N1 Vaccine Safety U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Jan 14, 2010 KEY points and excerpts: FDA and CDC are assessing H1N1 vaccine safety on a continuing basis and have published a detailed report describing the safety profile of […]
Categories: US News,Vaccine Updates
Tagged: Care and Treatment, flu, h1n1, influenza, swine flu, US News, Vaccine Updates
- Published:
- January 16, 2010 – 11:21 am
- Author:
- By The Editor
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a very rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. Specifically, “GBS damages the nerves’ protective covering (myelin sheath) and this interferes with the signaling process, causing weakness, numbness or paralysis.” There is no cure for GBS but it is treatable. Most recover and […]
Categories: Care and Treatment,US News,Vaccine Updates,Video and Media
Tagged: Care and Treatment, flu, h1n1, influenza, swine flu, US News, Vaccine Updates, Video and Media
- Published:
- January 15, 2010 – 10:29 pm
- Author:
- By The Editor