flu

Recent findings reveal the avian influenza virus in domestic cats in Poland, highlighting the virus’s broader reach beyond bird populations.Situation analysis and advice to countries from FAO, WHO, WOAH.The current outbreaks of avian influenza (also called “bird flu”) have caused devastation in animal populations, including poultry, wild birds, and some mammals, and harmed farmers’ livelihoods and the food trade. Although largely affecting animals, these outbreaks pose ongoing risks to humans. The Food and Agriculture…

​Poland is the first country to report "high numbers" of cats infected with bird flu across a large area, the WHO said Monday, adding that the risk of human infection remained low.​The World Health Organization said that since Polish health authorities informed it last month of unusual cat deaths across the country, 29 cats had tested positive for H5N1 bird flu.They were among 46 cats and one captive caracal tested for the virus, it said, adding that 14 of the infected animals were reported to have been euthanised, while…

The influenza A virus is one of the most persistent and infectious bugs around the world. Researchers have just uncovered how it's able to thrive by slicing and dicing genetic material inside our cells while keeping itself intact. The finding might open a new pathway to combating the virus.According to the World Health Organization, the flu causes three to five million cases of severe illness each year, with 290,000-650,000 deaths from respiratory complications. The two main viruses that cause the flu — influenza A and B…

Credit: CC0 Public Domain Researchers are still learning from the last century's worst global health emergency for clues about the outcomes of the most recent one. As lockdowns descended on regions all over the world to limit the spread of COVID-19 in spring 2020, economist Ruben Gaetani and his co-authors were curious about…

We've written before about how it doesn't always take long stints of exercise to reap the health benefits.Now a new study has backed this up. After looking at the exercise habits of 577,909 adults in the US, researchers have found that just 10 minutes of regular aerobic exercise (or "cardio") a week can substantially cut the risk of death from flu or pneumonia.When it comes to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), the recommended level is at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activities (like brisk…

We might be one major step closer toward ending the scourge of the seasonal flu. This week, the U.S. National Institutes of Health announced the start of a phase I clinical trial testing out a potential universal flu vaccine. The safety and immune response of the experimental shotwill be compared to a typical annual flu vaccine.Won’t Virtual Reality Make Me Sick?The candidate was developed by researchers at the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ (NIAID) Vaccine Research Center. It’s a mRNA-based…

A woman receives a booster dose of the Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at a vaccination centre in Antwerp, Belgium, February 1, 2022.Johanna Geron | ReutersPatients are now enrolling in an early stage clinical trial to test a universal flu vaccine based on messenger RNA technology, the National Institutes of Health announced Monday. Scientists hope the vaccine will protect against a wide variety of flu strains and provide long-term immunity so people do not have to receive a shot every year.  related…

It’s still very early days, but the race to develop the first safe and effective mRNA-based influenza vaccine is gathering momentum. The latest move sees a Phase 1 trial at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, get under way, testing the safety and immune response of H1ssF-3928 mRNA-LNP, developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ (NIAID) Vaccine Research Center (VRC).Some 50 participants aged 18-49 will be split into three groups and given 10, 25 and 50 micrograms of the active drug,…

Many of you are probably struggling with a cold or flu at the moment. Well, we’ve decided t assemble a list of the very best apps for dealing with a cold, flu, or some sort of a virus. Apps listed down below can help you self-diagnose, get help from a doctor online, or perhaps look up some home remedies for your cold, flu, and many other ailments, as these are amongst the best Android apps for that purpose. There are all sorts of apps included.These apps are mostly aimed at those of you who have a cold, flu, or something…

By St. Jude Children's Research Hospital April 29, 2023The viral protein that allows flu viruses to enter cells is hemagglutinin. St. Jude scientists found that a mutation that destabilizes hemagglutinin likely makes the vaccine a poorer match to circulating viruses. Credit: St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalScientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital found mutations that can improve or impair flu vaccines and may give clues to assess the pandemic potential of flu viruses in nature.They found a mutation that…