Flu Season Is Going To Be Worse This Year Than Last, The CDC Warns
For SELF, by Korin Miller.Here's what you need to do to protect yourself.
Every year, you’re encouraged to get a flu shot before flu season rolls around, and you may or may not actually take that advice. This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants you to know that, yes, you really should get that flu shot, even if you think it’s too late.
According to the CDC, there has been a “slow but steady” increase in reported flu cases in November and December, with numbers expected to increase still. The CDC is also tracking people who visit their doctor with flu-like illnesses and found ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - January 18, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
First time flu infection may affect lifetime immunity
Conclusion
This modelling study shows how the strains of influenza A – "bird flu" – circulating when a person is born give them lifelong protection against new subtypes with the same H protein groups. The researchers call this immune imprinting.
This may help to explain the high severity and mortality rate seen among certain groups. For example, the massive flu pandemic of 1918 was an H1N1 strain.
This had a very high fatality rate among young adults, which the researchers consider may have been because when they were born (between 1880 and 1900), H3 was the dominant strain. Therefore they had no protection w...
Source: NHS News Feed - November 14, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Medical practice Source Type: news
CDC reports variant of swine flu not seen previously in people
A?Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC)?report released yesterday says 18 people in Michigan and Ohio fell ill after an outbreak of Influenza A(H3N2) Variant Virus that had not seen previously in people. Health officials linked the infections to swine exhibits at agricultural fairs. All 18 people have since recovered. Dr. Gregory Poland, director of [...] (Source: News from Mayo Clinic)
Source: News from Mayo Clinic - October 27, 2016 Category: Databases & Libraries Source Type: news
New analysis explores the geographical origins of the flu
A computer model shows that small increases in transmission rates of the seasonal influenza A virus (H3N2) can lead to rapid evolution of new strains that spread globally through human populations. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - September 14, 2016 Category: Science Source Type: news
FluGen begins Phase I trial of H3N2 RedeeFlu universal vaccine for influenza
US-based biopharmaceutical company FluGen has begun the first Phase I clinical trial of H3N2 RedeeFlu universal vaccine for influenza. (Source: Drug Development Technology)
Source: Drug Development Technology - July 27, 2016 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
There Is An Optimal Time Of Day To Get A Flu Shot, Study Suggests
There is an optimal time of the day to get a flu shot: the morning, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Birmingham and published in the journal Vaccine.
In the study, senior citizens who got their flu vaccines in the mornings produced higher levels of antibodies to certain flu strains than those who got their shots in the afternoon. This is especially important for people over 65, who are more likely to have weaker immune systems than the general population and are more likely to be hospitalized and die from the flu.
If the effect is confirmed in wider studies, giving seniors a shot in the m...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - April 27, 2016 Category: Science Source Type: news
Canine Flu Has Dog Owners Wondering if Fido Needs a Vaccine
A vaccine is conditionally approved for H3N2, which showed up in 25 states. But veterinarians are not recommending the vaccine for every dog. (Source: NYT Health)
Source: NYT Health - December 12, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: JAN HOFFMAN Tags: Avian Influenza Veterinary Medicine Dogs Vaccination and Immunization Source Type: news
Dog Owners Wondering if Fido Needs a Flu Shot
A vaccine is conditionally approved for H3N2 canine flu, seen in 25 states. But veterinarians are not recommending the shot for every dog. (Source: NYT Health)
Source: NYT Health - December 12, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: JAN HOFFMAN Tags: Avian Influenza Veterinary Medicine Dogs Vaccination and Immunization Source Type: news
Merck Animal Health Pioneers H3N2 Canine Influenza Vaccine
Dateline City:
MADISON, N.J.
Innovative Addition Further Strengthens CIV Product Line
Madison, N.J. - In response to the H3N2 canine influenza (CIV) outbreaks that impacted dogs in 241 states, Merck Animal Health (known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada) today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a conditional product license for a vaccine to protect against this newly identified strain of CIV. Canine Influenza Vaccine H3N2 will be available to U.S. veterina...
Source: Merck.com - Corporate News - November 20, 2015 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Corporate News Animal Health Latest News Source Type: news
Flu Season: Vaccine Seems Good Match So Far
(MedPage Today) -- Vaccine has been updated to better match the H3N2 strain (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)
Source: MedPage Today Public Health - September 18, 2015 Category: American Health Source Type: news
Get the flu vaccine, reduce your risk of death
Last year was a lousy year for the flu vaccine. Hospitalizations for flu hit a nine-year high, and the vaccine prevented flu in only 23% of all recipients, compared with 50% to 60% of recipients in prior years.
Why does the flu vaccine work well in some winters and not others? The flu vaccine primes the immune system to attack two proteins on the surface of the influenza A virus, hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). Different flu strains have different combinations of these proteins — for example, the strains targeted by recent flu vaccines are H3N2 and H1N1.
Unfortunately, the influenza virus is microbiology’s ans...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - September 15, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: John Ross, MD, FIDSA Tags: Cold and Flu Vaccines Flu Shot flu vaccine Source Type: news
Adjusted Flu Vaccine Options Available to Seniors This Year
Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about this year's flu shot? Last year's vaccine was ineffective at preventing the flu, especially among seniors. What options are available to me this year? --Seeking Protection Dear Seeking, You're right. Last season's flu shot was not very effective at preventing the flu. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who got the shot were just 19 percent less likely to visit the doctor for flu than people who did not get the shot. In good years, flu shot effectiveness is in the 50 to 60 percent range. The reason for the shot's ineffectivenes...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - September 7, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Virus Mutation Explains Poor Performance of Last Season's Flu Shot
Strain of H3N2 virus that was circulating did not match strain used in vaccine
Source: HealthDay
Related MedlinePlus Pages: Flu, Immunization (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
Source: MedlinePlus Health News - June 25, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
A single mutation helped last year's flu virus gain an advantage over the vaccine
(Cell Press) The 2014-2015 flu vaccine didn't work as well compared to previous years because the H3N2 virus recently acquired a mutation that concealed the infection from the immune system. A study published on June 25 in Cell Reports reveals the major viral mutation responsible for the mismatch between the vaccine strain and circulating strains. The research will help guide the selection of viral strains for future seasonal flu vaccines. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - June 25, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Four out of ten Brits may naturally show fewer flu symptoms
ConclusionA study of 1,414 unvaccinated people showed those with T cells targeting virus nucleoprotein still got infected by flu, but had fewer symptoms. The logic is that people with fewer symptoms are less likely to spread the virus through coughs and sneezes, which may slow the spread of both seasonal and pandemic flu strains.This is plausible, but was not directly tested in this study, so we don't know if it's true in real life. The research team suggested vaccines that boost T cell numbers might be worth exploring, as an alternative to those that try to stop virus infection altogether. An added potential benefit of th...
Source: NHS News Feed - June 16, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Medical practice Medication Swine flu Source Type: news
