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Prime-boost H7N9 influenza vaccine concept promising in clinical trial

Prime-boost H7N9 influenza vaccine concept promising in clinical trial

In clinical trials, several candidate H7N9 pandemic influenza vaccines made from inactivated viruses have been shown to be safe and to generate an immune response. However, scientists believe for practical use, these potential vaccines would require multiple doses or the addition of adjuvants, which enhance the immune response. With hopes of making one dose of […]

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Avian influenza expert raises concerns as USDA stockpiles vaccines

Avian influenza expert raises concerns as USDA stockpiles vaccines

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is creating a stockpile of avian influenza vaccines, but an expert suggests careful consideration of the strategy and cautions that the strain of the next outbreak is unknown. Wild birds are typically the source of the introduction of the virus to backyard and commercial poultry flocks, which makes it very […]

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Study identifies genetic risk for hyperinflammatory disorder from viral infection

Study identifies genetic risk for hyperinflammatory disorder from viral infection

A group of people with fatal H1N1 flu died after their viral infections triggered a deadly hyperinflammatory disorder in susceptible individuals with gene mutations linked to the overactive immune response, according to a study in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) and Children’s […]

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New project to help reduce unsafe abortion death rates in disaster zones

New project to help reduce unsafe abortion death rates in disaster zones

New research led by Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett at the University of Leicester will look into the sexual and reproductive health issues in disaster-prone areas during times of humanitarian crisis. The project, supported by the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Innovation Programme, will explore the opportunities and challenges around reproductive health during disasters and emergencies […]

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Advances in fetal medicine outstrip abortion law reform, Australia

Advances in fetal medicine outstrip abortion law reform, Australia

Developments in the detection of fetal abnormalities have outstripped Australia’s patchworked abortion laws, creating barriers to access for women, according to the authors of an editorial published online by the Medical Journal of Australia. “Medicare-funded diagnosis of fetal abnormality is now routinely offered to all pregnant Australian women – with the implication that a woman […]

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Study reveals new, potent way to boost immunity and fight viruses

Study reveals new, potent way to boost immunity and fight viruses

Findings aid antiviral drug discovery Many viral infections, such as the common cold, cause mild illnesses that the body’s immune system eventually defeats. But when viruses cause severe disease, doctors have few options for effective treatment. Studying mice with a variety of viral infections, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have […]

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Key studies from Nottingham central to major flu drug report

Key studies from Nottingham central to major flu drug report

A major new national report into the use of antiviral drugs (neuraminidase inhibitors) to treat and prevent influenza has drawn heavily on two pieces of research undertaken at The University of Nottingham. The landmark report, published by the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Wellcome Trust, concludes that anti-viral drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) were […]

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Role of breast cell infection in flu transmission between mothers and breast-feeding ferrets

Role of breast cell infection in flu transmission between mothers and breast-feeding ferrets

Influenza is known as an infectious respiratory disease, but a study published on October 8th in PLOS Pathogens suggests that infected cells in breast tissues could play a role in virus transmission from mothers to breast-feeding infants and vice versa using a ferret model. Alyson Kelvin, from the University Health Network, Toronto, Canada, and colleagues […]

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Preventive care drops when government cuts close women’s health clinics, research says

Preventive care drops when government cuts close women’s health clinics, research says

When women’s health clinics close because of government funding cuts aimed at abortion providers, fewer women seek lifesaving preventive care that can identify health threats such as cancer, research from the University of Kansas shows. David Slusky, assistant professor of economics at KU, and Yao Lu of the Analysis Group in Boston found that when […]

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Latest technology could help curb repeat Ebola crisis, experts say

Latest technology could help curb repeat Ebola crisis, experts say

Recent developments in surveillance technology could enable a swifter, more effective response to potentially deadly outbreaks of disease, a study has found. The Ebola crisis has highlighted a need to bolster global surveillance and enhance the capability to react appropriately to further outbreaks, experts say. This should include making use of modern technologies for detecting […]