Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Flu / Cold / SARS News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/flu-sars/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171855.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171855.php The HPA is working with colleagues from the Public Health Service of Wales to investigate a number of possible cases of person to person transmission of oseltamivir resistant swine flu. To date, a total of nine H1N1v confirmed cases have been reported amongst patients on a hospital ward in Wales. Five of these cases are known to be resistant to oseltamivir, one is sensitive and for three resistance status is presently unknown. Swine Flu Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171762.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171762.php Every holiday season, millions of Americans travel through the nation's airports, seaports, and train stations to spend time with loved ones. Special holiday get-togethers - and traveling itself - bring people close together but also provide an ideal way for illness to spread. To help travelers avoid the flu this holiday season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today launched its largest ever public awareness campaign about staying healthy while traveling. Swine Flu Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171734.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171734.php The European Medicines Agency has reviewed further data on the centrally authorised pandemic vaccines, Celvapan, Focetria and Pandemrix. The Agency has reaffirmed their positive balance of benefits and risks in the context of the current H1N1v influenza pandemic. The data on Focetria and Pandemrix indicate that a single dose of these vaccines is able to trigger an immune response that may be sufficient to give protection against the H1N1v pandemic influenza in some age groups. Swine Flu Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171684.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171684.php AMA Vice President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that the AMA is encouraging people to visit their GP to be immunised against swine flu. It has been reported that there are still far too many Australians who have not been vaccinated to protect themselves from the virus. Dr Hambleton said that people should not be complacent because of the warmer weather or because swine flu is no longer dominating the TV and radio news or the newspaper headlines. Swine Flu Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171592.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171592.php PurinaCare® Pet Health Insurance, which is committed to help pet owners provide a lifetime of care for their dogs and cats, is alerting dog owners to the dangers of the H3N8 virus, more commonly referred to as the Dog Flu or canine influenza. Canine influenza is extremely contagious and while humans are not affected by this flu strain, they can unknowingly pass it from an infected dog to an unaffected dog. Veterinary Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171532.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171532.php Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found that exaggerated responses of the immune system explain why the elderly succumb to viral infections more readily than younger people. Published in the November 19 Cell Host & Microbe, the study bucks the general belief that declining immune responses are to blame for susceptibility to viral infections. Seniors / Aging Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171470.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171470.php With H1N1 flu causing illness all across the country, the American Red Cross has some steps to take that will lessen the chances of getting sick over the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. "Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy being with family, not to be in bed with the flu," said Sharon Stanley, chief nurse of the American Red Cross. "You can follow easy tips to try and avoid becoming ill over the upcoming holiday. Swine Flu Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171480.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171480.php The Alabama Department of Public Health will begin offering nasal mist flu vaccine to kindergarten through third grade students in Alabama schools at voluntary H1N1 influenza vaccination clinics. A few clinics will begin the week of Nov. 23, but the majority will be held beginning the week of Nov. 30-Dec. 5. "Vaccination is the best way to protect your children from this potentially serious disease," said State Health Officer Dr. Donald Williamson. Swine Flu Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171432.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171432.php Some 2.5 million pilgrims are expected at holy sites in Saudi Arabia for the 2009 Hajj, expected to begin around November 25. To combat the threat posed by H1N1 influenza A, the Saudi Arabian Health Ministry has issued public health recommendations, including recommending groups at highest risk of contracting H1N1 postpone their pilgrimage to a later year when the threat is reduced. Swine Flu Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171421.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171421.php Public health officials walking a tightrope between massive demand for vaccines and intense public scrutiny of side effects now have a new standard for evaluating the safety of their vaccination programs. Widespread concern about the 'swine flu' is prompting H1N1 vaccination programs in many countries - seldom seen on such a massive scale. Meanwhile, media and Internet chatter about side effects may provoke public anxiety and result in a lower vaccination rate. Swine Flu Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171396.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171396.php "At the mall, after using the bathroom, some people put water on their hands and just leave. They don't really use soap. To me, that's disgusting. That's just not right." Kids tell it like it is in a new video on preventing H1N1 virus infection. Ranging in age from 11 months to 13 years, young "experts" share their unique perspective on preventing the spread of germs and staying healthy. You can find their advice on Swine Flu Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171347.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171347.php Chinese and WHO officials last week agreed to open a flu research center in Beijing, Bloomberg reports. "The new collaborating center for reference and research on influenza will join a network of WHO-affiliated labs in Atlanta, London, Tokyo and Melbourne that monitor flu strains and make recommendations on vaccines to fight the virus," the news service writes. Flu / Cold / SARS Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171253.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171253.php Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have found that previous influenza infections may provide at least some level of immunity to the H1N1 "swine" flu. "The question we asked was, "Is the swine flu more like the seasonal flu or like a totally new strain of influenza where there would be no immunity?," said Alessandro Sette, Ph.D., an internationally recognized vaccine expert and director of the La Jolla Institute's Center for Infectious Disease. Swine Flu Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171224.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171224.php Roche`s (SWX:RO) (SWX:ROG) (Pink Sheets: RHHBY) Swine Flu Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171190.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171190.php As the number of deaths related to the pandemic H1N1 virus, commonly known as "swine flu," continues to rise, researchers have been scrambling to decipher its inner workings and explain why the incidence is lower than expected in older adults. Swine Flu Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171196.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171196.php Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have found that previous influenza infections may provide at least some level of immunity to the H1N1 "swine" flu. "The question we asked was, "Is the swine flu more like the seasonal flu or like a totally new strain of influenza where there would be no immunity?," said Alessandro Sette, Ph.D., an internationally recognized vaccine expert and director of the La Jolla Institute's Center for Infectious Disease. Swine Flu Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171154.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171154.php The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has approved a fifth vaccine for protection against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The vaccine is manufactured by ID Biomedical Corp. of Quebec, Canada, owned by GlaxoSmithKline PLC. As with the four previous H1N1 influenza vaccines licensed by the FDA on Sept. Swine Flu Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171095.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171095.php People who have questions about the H1N1 flu can get answers from infectious disease experts at Rush University Medical Center during a one-hour, live Facebook chat to be held on Friday, November 20 from12 p.m. until 1 p.m. "Rush On-Call" will be the first information chat session hosted on the Rush University Medical Center Facebook page. Dr. James McAuley, director of pediatric infectious diseases, and Dr. Swine Flu Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171087.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171087.php The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the CSL Limited's seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines to include children ages 6 months and older. These vaccine were previously approved for use in adults, ages 18 years and older "Because children are among those most vulnerable to the 2009 H1N1 virus, having a broader range of vaccines available for use in children is an important step in responding to the H1N1 outbreak," said Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. Swine Flu Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171090.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171090.php New methods of studying avian influenza strains and visually mapping their movement around the world will help scientists more quickly learn the behavior of the pandemic H1N1 flu virus, Ohio State University researchers say. The researchers linked many powerful computer systems together to analyze enormous amounts of genetic data collected from all publicly available isolated strains of the H5N1 virus - the cause of avian flu. Swine Flu Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171049.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171049.php A recent publication questioned the public health concern about swine flu and raised issues on vaccine safety and must be corrected. Pandemic 2009 (H1N1) or swine flu is a public health emergency with good reason. Since the WHO declared a pandemic in June 2009, swine flu is reported now in more than 199 countries approaching half a million confirmed cases and over 6,000 deaths. Swine Flu Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170938.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170938.php The Public Health Agency of Canada today updated its recommendations on H1N1 flu vaccine dosing for children between 3 years and 9 years of age. Swine Flu Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170831.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170831.php Myths about the flu shot are circulating like flu bugs. The Texas Medical Association's (TMA's) Flu Fighter physicians want to set the record straight about the safety of seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines. Vaccines Are Recommended, and Safe The Flu Fighters recommend everyone get the seasonal flu vaccine. Flu / Cold / SARS Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170778.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170778.php CSL Biotherapies, a subsidiary of CSL Limited (ASX: CSL), one of the world's leading manufacturers of influenza vaccine, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's application for accelerated approval of its seasonal flu vaccine, Afluria® (Influenza Virus Vaccine) for use in the pediatric population aged 6 months and older. Swine Flu Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170728.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170728.php Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. (ABI) (OTCBB: AMAR) reported that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recently confirmed that a household cat in Iowa developed signs of respiratory infection caused by H1N1 influenza virus. The AVMA report adds cats to the growing list of animals, including ferrets, hogs (most recently in Indiana and Taiwan) and turkeys reported to be infected by H1N1 influenza virus. Swine Flu