http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/swine_flu/ Swine Flu. Read about the latest developments, scientific research and projections. en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/swine_flu/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522134946.htm Getting a flu shot during pregnancy provides unanticipated benefits to the baby, according to the authors of a large population-based study examining the issue. Specifically, the study showed that H1N1 vaccination during the pandemic was associated with a significantly reduced risk of stillbirth, preterm birth and extremely small babies at birth. Tue, 22 May 2012 13:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522134946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163745.htm The pandemic 2009 H1N1 vaccine can generate antibodies in vaccinated individuals not only against the H1N1 virus, but also against other influenza virus strains including H5N1 and H3N2. This discovery adds an important new dimension to the finding last year that people infected with pandemic 2009 H1N1 virus produced high levels of antibodies that were broadly cross-reactive against a variety of flu strains. Mon, 21 May 2012 16:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104949.htm Researchers are developing a way to 'barcode' viral diseases to rapidly test new outbreaks for potentially lethal mutations. Mon, 14 May 2012 10:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104949.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508103927.htm Researchers have found a potential way to develop universal flu vaccines and eliminate the need for seasonal flu vaccinations. Tue, 08 May 2012 10:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508103927.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120411131913.htm A new study shows that, for the first time since testing began several years ago, feral pigs in North Carolina have tested positive for Brucella suis, an important and harmful bacteria that can be transmitted to people. Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120411131913.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120411102715.htm When swine flu struck Sweden in 2009, it was clear that certain age groups were more vulnerable than others. An epidemiologist is now planning to study immunity against influenza in children. Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120411102715.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120403193735.htm An intranasal vaccine that includes four weakened strains of influenza could do a better job in protecting children from the flu than current vaccines, new research shows. Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120403193735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120329101804.htm Researchers have identified a number of tiny but powerful "genetic regulators" that are hijacked by avian and swine flu viruses during human infection. Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120329101804.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120327124858.htm Researchers have developed a rapid, low-cost, accurate, point-of-care device that matches the accuracy of expensive and time-consuming lab-based tests to diagnose influenza. Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120327124858.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120325173138.htm A genetic finding could help explain why influenza becomes a life-threatening disease to some people while it has only mild effects in others. New research has identified for the first time a human gene that influences how we respond to influenza infection. Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120325173138.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120227204725.htm A new study has put the accuracy of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) under the microscope. The meta-analysis of 159 studies showed three key findings: that RIDTs can be used to confirm the flu, but not to rule it out; that test accuracy is higher in children than it is in adults; and that RIDTs are better at detecting the more common influenza A virus than they are at detecting influenza B. Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120227204725.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131092748.htm Researchers have identified key peptides that could lead to a universal vaccine for influenza and would activate alternative mechanisms of the immune system. They have discovered a series of peptides, found on the internal structures of influenza viruses that could lead to the development of a universal vaccine for influenza, one that gives people immunity against all strains of the disease, including seasonal, avian, and swine flu. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131092748.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124093132.htm Only about one in five young adults in their late 30s received a flu shot during the 2009-2010 swine flu epidemic, according to a report that details the behavior and attitudes of Generation X. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124093132.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116154457.htm Worldwide pandemics of influenza caused widespread death and illness in 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009. A new study examining weather patterns around the time of these pandemics finds that each of them was preceded by La Niña conditions in the equatorial Pacific. Since the La Niña pattern is known to alter the migratory patterns of birds, the scientists theorize that altered migration patterns promote the development of dangerous new strains of influenza. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:44:44 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116154457.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111222152021.htm The flu shot, typically the first line of defense against seasonal influenza, could better treat the US population, thanks to new research. Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111222152021.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216112907.htm Statins, traditionally known as cholesterol-lowering drugs, may reduce mortality among patients hospitalized with influenza, according to a new study. Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216112907.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208101756.htm Scientists have discovered that an antigen common to most influenza viruses, and commonly referred to as matrix protein 2, when administered under the tongue could protect mice against experimental infection caused by various influenza viruses, including the highly pathogenic avian H5 virus and the pandemic H1 virus. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208101756.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116192801.htm Vaccinating children annually against influenza virus interferes with their development of cross-reactive killer T cells to flu viruses generally, according to a new study. The research points up potentially conflicting policy outcomes. Annual flu vaccines are effective against seasonal flu, but could leave people more vulnerable to novel pandemics. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116192801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125346.htm With flu season just around the corner, scientists are reporting development of a new material for the fiber in face masks, air conditioning filters and air cleaning filters that captures influenza viruses before they can get into people's eyes, noses and mouths and cause infection. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025091642.htm People carrying extra pounds may need extra protection from influenza. New research shows that obesity may make annual flu shots less effective. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025091642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111005111400.htm Patients with severe 2009 H1N1 influenza who developed respiratory failure and were treated with a system that adds oxygen to the patient's blood had a lower rate of in-hospital death than similar patients who did not receive this treatment, according to a new study. Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111005111400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926083358.htm People with asthma who are admitted to hospital with pandemic influenza H1N1 (swine flu) are half as likely to die or require intensive care than those without asthma, according to new research. Mon, 26 Sep 2011 08:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926083358.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923104221.htm Life scientists have discovered the first evidence of the H1N1 virus in animals in Africa. In one village in northern Cameroon, a staggering 89 percent of the pigs studied had been exposed to the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923104221.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919171333.htm Many of the people who died from the new strain of H1N1 influenza that broke out in 2009 were suffering from another infection as well: pneumonia. A new study reveals how the two infections, pandemic influenza and pneumonia, interact to make to make a lethal combination. Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919171333.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919121800.htm Vaccinating children aged two to four years against seasonal influenza resulted in a 34 percent decline in flu-like illnesses, a new study finds. Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919121800.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915134410.htm Most of the time, being ill with the flu is little more than a nuisance. Other times, it can spark an exaggerated immune response and turn deadly. Researchers have now traced the origins of this severe immune response -- called a cytokine storm -- to its source. Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:44:44 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915134410.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915134408.htm Researchers have found a novel mechanism by which certain viruses such as influenza trigger a type of immune reaction that can severely sicken or kill those infected. Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:44:44 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915134408.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914143641.htm In the new movie "Contagion," fictional health experts scramble to get ahead of a flu-like pandemic as a drug-resistant virus quickly spreads, killing millions of people within days after they contract the illness. Although the film isn't based entirely on reality, it's not exactly science fiction, either. In a new study, researchers explain how seasonal H1N1 influenza became resistant to oseltamivir, otherwise known as Tamiflu, the most widely used antiviral agent for treating and preventing flu. The scientists say that a combination of genetic mutations and human migration through air travel can lead to the rapid global spread of drug-resistant strains. Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914143641.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912143449.htm Higher flu vaccination rates for health care personnel can dramatically reduce the threat of flu outbreak among nursing home residents, according to a new study. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912143449.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110823115647.htm A new study shows children's hospitals nationwide are not equipped to handle a major surge of patients in the event of a pandemic. Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110823115647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822092246.htm The onset of narcolepsy appears to follow seasonal patterns of H1N1 and other upper airway infections, according to a new study of patients in China. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822092246.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110818142838.htm Powerful X-ray technology is revealing new insights into diseases ranging from Alzheimer's to the swine flu, and, most recently, enabled the discovery of a groundbreaking new drug treatment for malignant melanoma. The drug, Zelboraf (vemurafenib), has just received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. In showing the structures of diseased and disease-causing molecules, these light sources enable scientists to suggest potential new treatments. Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110818142838.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815101533.htm Scientists have developed a new computational method that can predict viral mutation strategies, tracking virus strains and giving researchers the tools they need to better combat these mutations with more precisely formulated vaccines. Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815101533.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110808152236.htm An antibody that mimics features of the influenza virus's entry point into human cells could help researchers understand how to fine-tune the flu vaccine to protect against a broad range of virus strains. Such protection could potentially reduce the need to develop, produce, and distribute a new vaccine for each flu season. Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110808152236.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726093149.htm Researchers from Australia determined that pediatric liver transplant patients who received a single-dose of the H1N1 vaccine were not adequately protected against the virus compared to healthy children. This study found that a second vaccination was needed to elicit an effective immune response in children 10 and older who had recently received a liver transplant. Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726093149.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718154730.htm Many different strains of the H1N1 influenza virus were represented among 57 students at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) who were infected during the epidemic in the fall of 2009, according to a new study. The findings have major implications in the controversy over how best to reduce the virus' spread. Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718154730.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714191433.htm A novel breath test, measuring the immune response to the H1N1 flu virus, could help to ease future vaccine shortages by identifying the people who have already been infected with the flu virus. Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714191433.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713131651.htm A new study finds that a process called reassortment, a kind of viral sexual reproduction, between the virus responsible for the 2009 flu pandemic (H1N1) and a common type of avian flu virus (H9N2) can produce offspring -- new combined flu viruses -- with the potential for creating a new influenza pandemic. Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713131651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712190819.htm Adjuvanted vaccines used during the 2009 swine flu pandemic did not increase the risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome substantially, if at all, finds a large Europe-wide study. Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:08:08 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712190819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712122409.htm Researchers have found a new approach to the creation of customized therapies for virulent flu strains that resist current antiviral drugs. Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712122409.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110707141208.htm Annually changing flu vaccines with their hit-and-miss effectiveness may soon give way to a single, near-universal flu vaccine, according to a new report. Researchers describe an antibody that, in animal tests, can prevent or cure infections with a broad variety of influenza viruses, including seasonal and potentially pandemic strains. Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110707141208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623085955.htm Infants born to mothers who received the influenza (flu) vaccine while pregnant are nearly 50 percent less likely to be hospitalized for the flu than infants born to mothers who did not receive the vaccine while pregnant, according to a new study. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623085955.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615120240.htm Optimizing employee influenza vaccination rates has become a health care focus. Geisinger Health System vaccinated more than 92% of all employees against influenza this season, with a modification of a mandatory program. On average, fewer than half of all healthcare workers receive flu vaccinations. Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615120240.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613142217.htm Scientists using new mathematical and computational techniques have identified six influenza A viruses that have particularly close genetic relationships to the H1N1 "swine" flu virus that swept through the United States beginning in the spring of 2009. That virus eventually killed almost 18,000 people worldwide. Biological studies focused on these strains of influenza virus could shed light on how the 2009 pandemic strain of influenza emerged, aiding in efforts to forestall another pandemic, the researchers say. Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613142217.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110608171445.htm The swine flu outbreak of winter 2009-2010 was much more widespread than was previously realized, research suggests. Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110608171445.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110526064635.htm Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis taking disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, showed significantly less protection from pandemic influenza after receiving the H1N1 vaccine compared to healthy individuals, according to new data. Thu, 26 May 2011 06:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110526064635.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110525131711.htm Although swine influenza viruses usually sicken only pigs, potentially one might also spark a pandemic in people, as occurred with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. Because few long-term studies have surveyed flu viruses in swine, however, gaps exist in what is known about the evolution of swine influenza viruses and the conditions that enable a swine virus to infect humans and cause disease. Increased transportation of live pigs appears to have driven an increase in the diversity of swine influenza viruses found in the animals in Hong Kong over the last three decades, according to a new study. Wed, 25 May 2011 13:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110525131711.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524171253.htm Social distancing measures proved effective according to a new study that examined the H1N1 pandemic in Mexico. The study shows three distinct pandemic waves. Results will aid health officials plan for future pandemics. Tue, 24 May 2011 17:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524171253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516161353.htm Concern over vaccine safety is one of the primary factors preventing parents from having their asthmatic children vaccinated for influenza, or flu, according to Michigan researchers. Parents who do not vaccinate their children are also less likely to view flu as a"trigger" for their child's asthma, the researchers noted. Mon, 16 May 2011 16:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516161353.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110502151433.htm In 2009, the United States was gripped by concern for a new winter threat: the H1N1 strain of influenza. According to research conducted through that winter, pregnant women were right to be concerned. Mon, 02 May 2011 15:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110502151433.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110428201108.htm Getting vaccinated against the flu lowers kidney transplant recipients' risk of organ loss and death, according to a new study. The results suggest that concerns about the safety of the influenza vaccine in transplant recipients are unwarranted. Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110428201108.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110428143456.htm A study of H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccination in a sample of black and Hispanic children in Atlanta found a low rate of vaccine acceptance among parents and caregivers. Researchers say this low level of vaccine coverage and acceptance highlights the importance of understanding individual and community concerns that influence parents' decisions to have their children vaccinated. Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110428143456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110427092049.htm In urban communities, less than 1 in 100 inhabitants died from Spanish flu in 1918, but in isolated communities up to 9 out of 10 died. An important explanation for the differences is due to different exposure to influenza in the decades before the Spanish flu came. Those living in urban communities probably had a higher degree of pre-existing immunity that protected against illness and death in 1918 than those living in very isolated rural areas. Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110427092049.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110425173828.htm Analysis of mutations of the 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus has revealed major genetic differences between the virus in its early phase of infection in Japan and in its peak phase. While yielding valuable clues on the genetic origins of drug resistance, the findings also pave the way toward the development of new diagnostic kits for detecting and preventing the spread of global pandemic diseases. Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110425173828.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110422090110.htm New research on mice has shown that pulmonary administration of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) significantly reduces flu symptoms and prevents death after a lethal dose influenza virus. While GM-SCF therapy for humans as a flu prophylaxis or treatment may be years away, the study results were striking: All of the mice treated with GM-SCF survived after being infected with the influenza virus, whereas untreated mice all died from the same infection. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110422090110.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110410194707.htm Bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis are only able to spread when individuals are infected with flu, according to an expert. The work could have implications for the management of influenza pandemics and could help reduce incidence of pneumococcal infections in very young children, who are more susceptible to disease. Sun, 10 Apr 2011 19:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110410194707.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110316134603.htm A vaccine that helps against all types of influenza -- for several years? If all goes right for one Norwegian company, such a vaccine could exist within a few years. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110316134603.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110309162119.htm Researchers have identified a single mutation in the H1N1 genetic makeup that would allow it to be much more easily transmitted between people. The finding should give the World Health Organization, which tracks influenza evolution, something to watch out for, says the senior author of the paper. Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:21:21 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110309162119.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110228104312.htm Ever get a flu shot and still get the flu? If so, there's new hope for flu-free winters in the years to come thanks to a new discovery by researchers who found that a drug called DMXAA, originally developed as anti-tumor agent, enhances the ability of flu vaccines to ward off this deadly virus. Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:43:43 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110228104312.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110218092541.htm Researchers have taken a step closer to the development of a universal flu vaccine, with results of a recent study showing that a vaccine delivered by a simple nasal spray could provide protection against influenza. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110218092541.htm