2 Manitobans infected with rare swine flu variants
Two human cases of influenza variants normally found in pigs have been detected in Manitoba. (Source: CBC | Health)
Source: CBC | Health - April 30, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: News/Canada/Manitoba Source Type: news

Combination therapy may provide significant protection against lethal influenza
(Elsevier) A significant proportion of hospitalized patients with influenza develop complications of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Reporting in The American Journal of Pathology investigators have found that treatment with an immune receptor blocker in combination with an antiviral agent markedly improves survival of mice infected with lethal influenza and reduces lung pathology in swine-influenza-infected piglets. Their research also provides insights into the optimal timing of treatment to prevent acute lung injury. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - March 16, 2021 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news

Vaccine development software shows promise in influenza effort, could help defeat coronavirus
A novel computer algorithm that could create a broadly reactive influenza vaccine for swine flu also offers a path toward a pan-influenza vaccine and possibly a pan-coronavirus vaccine as well, according to a new paper published in Nature Communications. (Source: World Pharma News)
Source: World Pharma News - March 3, 2021 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Featured Research Research and Development Source Type: news

Vaccine shows signs of protection against dozen-plus flu strains
(University of Nebraska-Lincoln) A vaccine candidate developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has demonstrated promising signs of protection against more than a dozen swine flu strains -- and more than a leading, commercially available vaccine. Its success in experiments involving swine suggests that its design could also fast-track efforts to develop a vaccine that protects people against many common strains of influenza. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - March 2, 2021 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news

Vaccine development software shows promise in influenza effort, could help defeat coronavirus
(DOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory) A novel computer algorithm that could create a broadly reactive influenza vaccine for swine flu also offers a path toward a pan-influenza vaccine and possibly a pan-coronavirus vaccine as well, according to a new paper published inNature Communications. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - March 1, 2021 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news

Influenza A (H3N2) variant virus – United States of America
On 13 January, 2021, a child under 18 years of age in Wisconsin developed respiratory disease. A respiratory specimen was collected on 14 January. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing conducted at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene indicated a presumptive positive influenza A(H3N2) variant virus infection. The specimen was forwarded to the Influenza Division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on 21 January for further testing. On 22 January, CDC confirmed an influenza A (H3N2)v virus infection using RT-PCR and genome sequence analysis. Investigation into the...
Source: WHO Disease Outbreaks - February 5, 2021 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: news Source Type: news

A Look at Past Vaccine Drives: Smallpox, Polio and the Swine Flu
As governments begin rolling out the biggest vaccine drives in history, a look at mass vaccination campaigns of the past offers insight into mistakes. (Source: NYT Health)
Source: NYT Health - January 25, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Jenny Gross Tags: Smallpox Vaccination and Immunization Swine Influenza Epidemics Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Source Type: news

Five Past Vaccine Drives and How They Worked
As governments begin rolling out the biggest vaccine drives in history, a look at mass vaccination campaigns of the past offers insight into mistakes. (Source: NYT Health)
Source: NYT Health - January 25, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Jenny Gross Tags: Smallpox Vaccination and Immunization Swine Influenza Epidemics Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Source Type: news

Potential New Swine Flu Pandemic Stirring in China Potential New Swine Flu Pandemic Stirring in China
Research shows that 15% of Chinese pig farmers have antibodies for a new strain that is more virulent and infectious than human influenza A.Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Infectious Diseases Headlines)
Source: Medscape Infectious Diseases Headlines - September 15, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Infectious Diseases News Source Type: news

Trump Undermines WHO, UN System
By Jomo Kwame Sundaram and Anis ChowdhuryKUALA LUMPUR and SYDNEY, Sep 1 2020 (IPS) After accusing the World Health Organization (WHO) of pro-China bias, President Donald Trump announced US withdrawal from the UN agency. Although the US created the UN system for the post-Second World War new international order, Washington has often had to struggle in recent decades to ensure that it continues to serve changing US interests. Jomo Kwame Sundaram Invisible virus trumps POTUS In early July, Washington gave the required one-year notice officially advising the UN of its intention to withdraw from the WHO, created by the US as t...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - September 1, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Jomo Kwame Sundaram and Anis Chowdhury Tags: Crime & Justice Featured Global Headlines Health Humanitarian Emergencies North America TerraViva United Nations Trade & Investment Jomo Kwame Sundaram & Anis Chowdhury Source Type: news

Exclusive: The Scientist Who Sequenced the First COVID-19 Genome Speaks Out About the Controversies Surrounding His Work
Over the past few years, Professor Zhang Yongzhen has made it his business to sequence thousands of previously unknown viruses. But he knew straight away that this one was particularly nasty. It was about 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 3 that a metal box arrived at the drab, beige buildings that house the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center. Inside was a test tube packed in dry ice that contained swabs from a patient suffering from a peculiar pneumonia sweeping China’s central city of Wuhan. But little did Zhang know that that box would also unleash a vicious squall of blame and geopolitical acrimony worthy of Pandora herself....
Source: TIME: Health - August 25, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Charlie Campbell / Shanghai Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 overnight Source Type: news

Exclusive: The Chinese Scientist Who Sequenced the First COVID-19 Genome Speaks Out About the Controversies Surrounding His Work
Over the past few years, Professor Zhang Yongzhen has made it his business to sequence thousands of previously unknown viruses. But he knew straight away that this one was particularly nasty. It was about 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 3 that a metal box arrived at the drab, beige buildings that house the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center. Inside was a test tube packed in dry ice that contained swabs from a patient suffering from a peculiar pneumonia sweeping China’s central city of Wuhan. But little did Zhang know that that box would also unleash a vicious squall of blame and geopolitical acrimony worthy of Pandora herself....
Source: TIME: Science - August 25, 2020 Category: Science Authors: Charlie Campbell / Shanghai Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 overnight Source Type: news

Exclusive: The Chinese Scientist Who Sequenced the First COVID-19 Genome Speaks Out About the Controversies Surrounding His Work
Over the past few years, Professor Zhang Yongzhen has made it his business to sequence thousands of previously unknown viruses. But he knew straight away that this one was particularly nasty. It was about 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 3 that a metal box arrived at the drab, beige buildings that house the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center. Inside was a test tube packed in dry ice that contained swabs from a patient suffering from a peculiar pneumonia sweeping China’s central city of Wuhan. But little did Zhang know that that box would also unleash a vicious squall of blame and geopolitical acrimony worthy of Pandora herself....
Source: TIME: Health - August 25, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Charlie Campbell / Shanghai Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 overnight Source Type: news

Inside the Global Quest to Trace the Origins of COVID-19 —and Predict Where It Will Go Next
It wasn’t greed, or curiosity, that made Li Rusheng grab his shotgun and enter Shitou Cave. It was about survival. During Mao-era collectivization of the early 1970s, food was so scarce in the emerald valleys of southwestern China’s Yunnan province that farmers like Li could expect to eat meat only once a year–if they were lucky. So, craving protein, Li and his friends would sneak into the cave to hunt the creatures they could hear squeaking and fluttering inside: bats. Li would creep into the gloom and fire blindly at the vaulted ceiling, picking up any quarry that fell to the ground, while his companion...
Source: TIME: Health - July 23, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Charlie Campbell/ Yuxi, Yunnan and Alice Park Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 feature Magazine Source Type: news

Influenza A(H1N2) variant virus – Brazil
On 22 June 2020, the International Health Regualtions (IHR) Focal Point (FP) of Brazil shared a preliminary report with the Panamerican Health Organization, the WHO Regional Office for the Americas of a human infection withInfluenza A(H1N2) variant virus (A(H1N2)v). According to the report, the patient, a 22-year-old female, with no comorbidities, worked in a swine slaughterhouse in Ibipor ã Municipality, Paraná State, and developed an influenza-like illness on 12 April 2020. The patient initially sought medical care on 14 April and a respiratory specimen was obtained on 16 April as part of routine surveillance activitie...
Source: WHO Disease Outbreaks - July 9, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: news Source Type: news