Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease of birds and mammals caused by an RNA virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae, the influenza viruses. In people, common symptoms of influenza are fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, and weakness and fatigue.
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Reports Positive Results of Shionogi & Co. Sponsored Phase 3 Studies of i.v. Peramivir for Influenza – BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: BCRX) announced positive results from two Phase 3 studies of intravenous (i.v.) peramivir in patients with seasonal influenza.
Obama Administration Calls on Nation to Begin Planning and Preparing for Fall Flu Season & the New H1N1 Virus – In US, the Obama Administration sent a strong message to the nation that it is time to start planning and preparing for the fall flu season and the ongoing H1N1 flu outbreak.
The world is better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time in history. – The world is better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time in history, thanks, in part, to vigilance and diligence of countries, Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said in her address to a special meeting of ASEAN+3 health ministers in Bangkok, Thailand.
U.S. FDA Licenses Sanofi Pasteur’s New Influenza Vaccine Manufacturing Facility. Sanofi Pasteur committed to increasing its seasonal and pandemic influenza preparedness; New facility will increase production capacity in the U.S. – Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group (Euronext: SAN) (NYSE: SNY), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has licensed its new influenza vaccine manufacturing facility.
Flu pandemic in prison – A model for public health preparedness. – When pandemics occur, correctional facilities are not immune. With more than 9 million people incarcerated across the globe 2.25 million in U.S. jails and prisons alone it is vital that correctional officials and health professionals be prepared for a worst-case scenario that involves pandemic influenza reaching inmates and staff.
Universal flu vaccine holds promise. Study results will be presented at infectious diseases meeting on monday. – An influenza vaccine that protects against death and serious complications from different strains of flu is a little closer to reality, Saint Louis University vaccine researchers have found.
Research: Relation of study quality, concordance, take home message, funding, and impact in studies of influenza vaccines: Systematic review, BMJ Online – Industry-sponsored studies on influenza vaccines are published in journals with higher rankings (impact factors) and are cited more than studies with other sponsors, but this is not because they are bigger or better, finds a study published on bmj.com today.
Researchers have identified a set of three genes that helped underpin the extraordinary virulence of the 1918 virus. – By mixing and matching a contemporary flu virus with the “Spanish flu” – a virus that killed between 20 and 50 million people 90 years ago in history’s most devastating outbreak of infectious disease – researchers have identified a set of three genes that helped underpin the extraordinary virulence of the 1918 virus.
Search engine company Google launched a new health tool that will help U.S. federal health experts track the annual flu epidemic or influenza cases. – By tracking the popularity of certain Google search queries, Google’s engineers have discovered that they can accurately estimate the level of flu in each state, in near real time.
CDC’s Advisory Committee Recommends Influenza Vaccination for Children 6 months through 18 years of age. – A panel of immunization experts voted to expand the recommended ages for annual influenza vaccination of children to include all children from 6 months through 18 years of age. The previous recommendation was for vaccination of children from 6 months to 59 months of age.
Influenza activity has been picking up in the US; flu widespread in 49 states, CDC reports. – After relatively low levels of influenza activity in the early part of the season, since January influenza activity has been picking up in the US. This week 44 states are reporting widespread influenza activity. This is up from 31 states reporting widespread activity last week. Five states are reporting regional activity, making 49 states overall.
