Healthblognews.com : Health News » Flu / Cold

Swine Flu Update, Thursday, 18th February, 2010, Ireland

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

ILI rate The Department of Health & Children and the HSE advised yesterday (18th February, 2010) that the rate of influenza-like illness (ILI) for the week ending Sunday 14th February 2010 (week 6, 2010), was 6.2 per 100,000 population. This is a slight decrease from the 6.8 per 100,000 population reported during week 5, 2010…

WHO Recommends H1N1 Be Added To Next Year’s Seasonal Flu Virus

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

The WHO is recommending the H1N1 (swine flu) virus be added to the regular flu vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere’s 2010-2011 regular flu season, the Associated Press reports (2/18). The recommendations, announced Thursday, came after a “closed-door four-day meeting” of WHO influenza experts, Reuters reports…

European Medicines Agency Updates On Pandemic Influenza

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended the granting of a conditional marketing authorisation for Humenza from Sanofi Pasteur SA…

Adamas Pharmaceuticals Announces In Vitro Data Demonstrating TCAD Therapy Is More Potent Than Double Combinations Or Monotherapy Against Resistant Flu

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc…

Virus Hybridization Could Create Pandemic Bird Flu

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

Genetic interactions between avian H5N1 influenza and human seasonal influenza viruses have the potential to create hybrid strains combining the virulence of bird flu with the pandemic ability of H1N1, according to a new study. In laboratory experiments in mice, a single gene segment from a human seasonal flu virus, H3N2, was able to convert the avian H5N1 virus into a highly pathogenic form…

Pandemic Hybrid Of Bird And Human Seasonal Flu Possible Say Scientists

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

An international team of scientists has created a highly pathogenic laboratory hybrid of the H5N1 bird flu and human seasonal flu viruses by swapping just one gene, and propose that a similar genetic interaction could happen in nature between the current pandemic H1N1 swine flu and H5N1 avian flu strains, highlighting the importance of continued surveillance…

PositiveID Corporation Successfully Completes Phase I Development Of Its Rapid Virus Detection System

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

PositiveID Corporation (”PositiveID” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:PSID), in conjunction with its development partner RECEPTORS LLC (”Receptors”), announced today that it has successfully completed Phase I development of its rapid virus detection system, a non-invasive, point-of-care test to test patient samples and identify various forms of influenza within minutes…

FDA Recommends H1N1 For Inclusion In Next Year’s Flu Vaccine

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday recommended that the H1N1 (swine flu) strain be added to next year’s seasonal flu vaccine, “putting an end to separate shots deployed against the pandemic,” Bloomberg reports. The FDA committee voted unanimously to make the H1N1 strain one of the three strains included in the shot, according to the news service…

Diagnostic Hybrids Receives FDA Emergency Use Authorization For D3 Ultra 2009 H1N1 Influenza A Virus ID Kit

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

Diagnostic Hybrids, a Quidel Company (NASDAQ: QDEL) has received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its D3 Ultra 2009 H1N1 Influenza A Virus ID Kit, a monoclonal antibody fluorescent staining kit for the specific identification of 2009 H1N1 influenza A in direct patient specimens or incubated tissue cultures…

Dry Winters Linked To Seasonal Outbreaks Of Influenza

Healthblognews.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:48:06 +0000

The seasonal increase of influenza has long baffled scientists, but a new study published this week in PLoS Biology has found that seasonal changes of absolute humidity are the apparent underlying cause of these wintertime peaks. The study also found that the onset of outbreaks might be encouraged by anomalously dry weather conditions, at least in temperate regions…