Clusters of respiratory illness in children in northern China

China

WHO has made an official request to China for detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children. At a press conference on 13 November 2023, Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission reported an increase in incidence of respiratory diseases in China. Chinese authorities attributed this increase to […]

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Flu pandemics followed by recurrent outbreaks for around two decades

pandemics

Influenza pandemics cause a persistent increase in influenza mortality risk, lasting around two decades, according to new research analysing historical data from the 19th and 20th centuries. The latest study – which is led by researchers at the University of Glasgow, and including academics at Lancaster University – reveals new and important findings about the persistent health […]

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The flu season ultimate guide

flu season

As flu season arrives, many people are understandably worried about getting ill. Recent statistics show the increased strain on the NHS with 3,746 patients a day with flu. But what is the difference between the various strains of flu, how can we prevent it and how should we respond if we fall ill with it? […]

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Growing flu viruses in specialised cells

viruses

A new study published in npj Vaccines has shown that growing influenza viruses in specialised cell lines, rather than chicken eggs, improves the likelihood they will match circulating influenza viruses, potentially resulting in more effective seasonal flu vaccines. Influenza vaccines are used each year to combat seasonal and potential pandemic influenza viruses. As influenza viruses mutate and […]

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Cell-based vaccine for children and adolescents

cell-based

A cell-based influenza vaccine has effectively provided protection against the flu in children and adolescents, according to a new study. The research found the cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVc) produced a sufficient immune response in children aged two to 18 years. The lead investigator on the study was Professor Terry Nolan, head of the Vaccine and […]

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How to predict severe influenza in hospitalised patients

severe influenza

How to predict severe influenza in hospitalised patients: Melbourne researchers have identified predictors of both severe disease and recovery in hospitalised influenza patients, finding that the immune system works in concert to fight influenza. Published today in Nature Communications, the team from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), Alfred Health and Monash University […]

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