Medical Flu Animations

Key Peptides Identified That Could Lead To A Universal Vaccine For Influenza
Researchers at the University of Southampton, University of Oxford and Retroscreeen Virology Ltd 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...

Spread Of Pandemic Flu Could Be Drastically Slowed By Hand Washing And Wearing Masks
Masks and hand hygiene could cut the spread of flu-like symptoms up to 75 percent, a University of Michigan study found...

New Information In The Fight Against Flu
Influenza virus can rapidly evolve from one form to another, complicating the effectiveness of vaccines and anti-viral drugs used to treat it...

H5N1 Causes Controversy Concerning Balance Between Scientific Discovery And Public Safety
After scientists have engineered a new strain of H5N1, commonly known as bird flu, which is readily transmitted between humans, the Annals of Internal Medicine , the principal journal of the American College of Physicians, has published two perspectives online in advance, in which concerns are raised as to whether or not this research should be continued, and how the data shoul...

In Battle To Prevent Pandemic Infection, Clinical Technique Sets New Standard For Speed
A new diagnosis technique developed by researchers at the RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC) has succeeded in detecting influenza virus infection in only 40 minutes and with one hundred times the sensitivity of conventional methods...

How Young Adults Deal With Influenza
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 University of Michigan report that details the behavior and attitudes of Generation X. But about 65 percent were at least moderately concerned about the flu, and nearly 60 percent said they were following the issue very or moderately closely...

Anti-Influenza Drug Surrounded By Continuing Uncertainties
Incomplete availability of data has hampered a thorough assessment of the evidence for using the anti-influenza drug oseltamivir, a Cochrane Review has found...

Tamiflu's Effectiveness Remains Uncertain - Roche Still Not Releasing Vital Trial Data
Two years ago, pharmaceutical giant, Roche, promised the BMJ to release key Tamiflu trial data for an independent investigation. However, Roche refuses to provide full access to all its data. According to a new report by the Cochrane Collaboration, Roche's refusal to provide access leaves critical concerns about how the drug works unresolved...

Flu Pandemics May Follow La Niña
US scientists propose that flu pandemics follow La Niña weather conditions in the equatorial Pacific. The conditions alter bird migration patterns and this promotes new strains of flu (migrating birds are known to be primary pools of human influenza virus)...

Flu Pandemics And La Nina
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 Nina conditions in the equatorial Pacific...

'Google Flu Trends' A Powerful Early Warning System For Emergency Departments
Monitoring Internet search traffic about influenza may prove to be a better way for hospital emergency rooms to prepare for a surge in sick patients compared to waiting for outdated government flu case reports...

Couch Potato Or Elite Athlete? A Happy Medium Keeps Colds At Bay!
Battling colds and doing (or pledging to do) more exercise are familiar activities for most of us in January. But different levels of exercise can actually significantly increase or decrease your chances of catching a respiratory infection, says Professor Mike Gleeson from Loughborough University...

Pitt Researchers Propose New Model To Design Better Flu Shots
The flu shot, typically the first line of defense against seasonal influenza, could better treat the U.S. population, thanks to University of Pittsburgh researchers...

Mutated Bird Flu Research Worries World Health Organization
Research on the H5N1 influenza (bird flu) virus' human transmissibility is seriously starting to worry WHO (World Health Organization) experts - in a written statement, the authors express concern about the potential risks linked to this research. The possible negative consequences of some experiments are serious and potentially dangerous...

Statins May Lower Flu Mortality Rates
A report published online by The Journal of Infectious Diseases reveals that statins, commonly known as cholesterol-lowering medications, might lower the number of deaths among individuals who are hospitalized with influenza. Vanderbilt's William Schaffner, M.D...