It is known that influenza viruses can develop resistance to oseltamivir – Tamiflu, and related antiviral drugs, hence stockpiling large amounts of these antiviral drugs is questioned in this study.
New predictions about bird flu, involving the use of a mathematical model, suggest that international cooperation to share antiviral drugs might be the best way to deal with an emerging pandemic.
The United Nations health agency outlined its ambitious goals of expanding the integrated delivery of immunization and preventive treatment against a whole host of diseases.
Pregnant women should avoid close contact with sheep during the lambing season, advised by the Health and Safety Executive, UK.
Novartis announced that it has received a contract from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of approximately USD 55 million. The contract supports the company’s efforts to bring the antigen-sparing capabilities of the MF59 adjuvant to the United States. An adjuvant is a substance added to a vaccine to enhance the body’s immune response to the vaccine’s active constituent, called the antigen.
Preliminary testing of two dead birds collected in Kowloon has indicated suspected cases of H5 avian influenza, a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today (January 18), adding that further confirmatory tests are being conducted.
Researchers at Children?s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC have launched a major National Institutes of Health-funded study to develop definitive treatment guidelines for the most common pediatric illness ? ear infections.
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced today that the department has awarded contracts totaling $132.5 million to three vaccine makers for the advanced development of H5N1 influenza vaccines using an immune system booster called an adjuvant. An adjuvant is a substance that may be added to a vaccine to increase the body?s immune response to the vaccine?s active ingredient, called antigen.
In a study of nonhuman primates infected with the influenza virus that killed 50 million people in 1918, an international team of scientists has found a critical clue to how the virus killed so quickly and efficiently.
Two antiviral drugs, oseltamivir and zanamivir, are highly effective when given as a preventive measure to reduce the spread of the influenza virus.