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Time for flu shots — getting one is more important than ever!
Wondering when to get your flu shot? The best time is before influenza (flu) starts circulating widely. For most people, September or October is ideal for protection through the whole flu season, as the immune response from the vaccine wanes over time. And while changes and restrictions due to COVID-19 may make getting a flu vaccine less convenient for some this year, the pandemic makes it more important than ever. Why do I need to get a flu vaccine yearly? Influenza A and Influenza B cause most cases of flu in humans. Both have many strains that constantly change, accumulating genetic mutations that disguise them from the...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - September 17, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Elise Merchant, MD Tags: Cold and Flu Coronavirus and COVID-19 Vaccines Source Type: blogs

Cough, Cough, Hack, Hack, It’s Flu Season Again
While reading one of my favorite magazines yesterday, NATURAL HEALTH, I ran across a small list of facts about the flu compiled by a fellow writer, Kate Wertheimer. Depending on your propensity for yukiness, you may want to read this list with caution however, we’re all out there together getting exposed to all those live viruses who often are being carried by folks with little if any sense about how contagious they are. We’ll get to her list later, which was compiled in New Zealand. Apparently they do a great deal of research in most countries about the strains of viruses they can and will choose for their flu inocula...
Source: Life with Chronic Pain - January 10, 2013 Category: Other Conditions Authors: admin Tags: Flu cold cough cold and flu flu and pain Source Type: blogs

Changing influenza virus neuraminidase into a receptor binding protein
The hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) glycoproteins of the influenza virus particle serve distinct functions during infection. The HA binds sialic acid-containing cellular receptors and mediates fusion of the viral and cell membranes, while the NA removes sialic acids from glycoproteins. Apparently this division of labor is not absolute: influenza viruses have been identified with NA molecules that serve as receptor binding proteins. An influenza virus was created that could not bind sialic acid by introducing multiple mutations into the HA gene. This mutant virus was not expected to be infectious, but nevertheless...
Source: virology blog - November 21, 2013 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information evolution HA hemagglutinin influenza mutation NA neuraminidase receptor binding sialidase tamiflu viral virus Source Type: blogs

1977 H1N1 influenza virus is not relevant to the gain of function debate
Image credit The individuals who believe that certain types of gain-of-function experiments should not be done because they are too dangerous (including Lipsitch, Osterholm, Wain-Hobson,) cite the 1977 influenza virus H1N1 strain as an example of a laboratory accident that has led to a global epidemic. A new analysis shows that the reappearance of the 1997 H1N1 virus has little relevance to the gain-of-function debate. Human influenza viruses of the H3N2 subtype were circulating in May of 1977 when H1N1 viruses were identified in China and then Russia. These viruses spread globally and continue to circulate to this day. Th...
Source: virology blog - August 20, 2015 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Uncategorized 1977 H1N1 bioweapon ferret gain of function GOF influenza laboratory accident moratorium transmission vaccine trial viral virology virus Source Type: blogs

Influenza A viruses in bats
It is well known that aquatic birds are a major reservoir of influenza A viruses, and that pandemic human influenza virus strains of the past century derive viral genes from this pool. The recent discovery of two new influenza A viruses in bats suggests that this species may constitute another reservoir with even greater genetic diversity. A new influenza virus had previously been isolated from little yellow-shouldered bats (Sturnira lilium) in Guatemala. Three of 316 rectal swabs were positive when tested by a pan-influenza polymerase chain reaction assay. Viral sequences were also detected in liver, intestine, lung, an...
Source: virology blog - November 13, 2013 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information Artibeus planirostris bat genetic diversity influenza virus pandemic Sturnira lilium viral zoonosis Source Type: blogs

What ’s new with the flu shot?
Should you get the influenza (flu) vaccine this year? The short, quick answer (barring any medical reasons you shouldn’t, such as severe allergies), is yes! But recent research raises another important question: When should you get the shot? Why a flu shot every year in the first place? Getting infected with the flu can be dangerous — we’ve seen patients in the ICU who were previously healthy but had a horrible response to a strain of the virus and became very sick. Every year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies release flu vaccination guidelines in late summer to early fall. The f...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - November 13, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Dominic Wu, MD Tags: Cold and Flu Health Infectious diseases Prevention Vaccines Source Type: blogs

Pharma Needs to Step Up & Help Develop a Universal Flu Vaccine
Discussion with Ian Wilson").It's great to be a small part of the history of virology, but it would be even better if that history eventually includes the successful development of a universal vaccine for the flu. And this is where the drug industry needs to step in according to Bloomberg View:"[T]he government has limited means and little product-development experience. Making a new vaccine typically takes a decade and can cost $1 billion. A project of that size is better suited to large pharmaceutical companies. Most, however, have been loath to seriously invest in new vaccines, which offer low returns."Given this market...
Source: Pharma Marketing Blog - January 29, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Tags: Vaccine Flu Source Type: blogs

Avian influenza H7N9 viruses isolated from humans: What do the gene sequences mean?
There have been over 60 human infections with avian influenza virus H7N9 in China, and cases have been detected outside of Shanghai, including Beijing, Zhejiang, Henan, and Anhui Provinces. Information on the first three cases has now been published, allowing a more detailed consideration of the properties of the viral isolates. The first genome sequences reported were from the initial three H7N9 isolates: A/Shanghai/1/2013, A/Shanghai/2/2013, and A/Anhui/1/2013. These were followed by genome sequences from A/Hongzhou/1/2013 (from a male patient), A/pigeon/Shanghai/S1069/2013), A/chicken/Shanghai/S1053/2013), and A/en...
Source: virology blog - April 17, 2013 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information China H5N1 h7n9 H9N2 influenza pandemic poultry viral virus zoonosis zoonotic Source Type: blogs

The value of influenza aerosol transmission experiments
A Harvard epidemiologist has been on a crusade to curtail aerosol transmission experiments on avian influenza H5N1 virus because he believes that they are too dangerous and of little value. Recently he has taken his arguments to the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times. While Dr. Lipsitch is certainly entitled to his opinion, his arguments do not support his conclusions. In early 2013 Lipsitch was the subject of a piece in Harvard Magazine about avian influenza H5N1 virus entitled The Deadliest Virus.  I have previously criticized this article  in which Lipsitch calls for more stringent H5N1 policies. More recently Lipsi...
Source: virology blog - July 5, 2014 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Commentary Information aerosol avian H5N1 ferret fouchier gain of function influenza kawaoka transmission viral virus Source Type: blogs

Five Ways to Fight the Swine Flu
View the Swine Flu video here.   Winter in North America brings with it yearly uninvited guests- flu bugs- multiple strains of illness causing viruses just waiting for new bodies to infect.   The most common recommendation has been to protect yourself with a flu vaccine.  But with virtually all the US flu suddenly resistant to the leading antiviral Tamiflu, health officials are worried about where this could lead.  Here are some key guidelines you MUST know if you want to survive this year’s flu season.   How can you distinguish a cold from the flu? First understand that colds are minor infections of the nose and t...
Source: Dr. Donna, MedicineWoman - January 25, 2009 Category: Medical Scientists Authors: Dr. Donna Tags: breaking news Personal Health public health flu influenza pandemic prevention swine flu tamiflu treatment Source Type: blogs

Friday flu shot
Yesterday many US newspapers carried front-page stories on the severity of influenza so far this season. The New York Times story began with “It is not your imagination — more people you know are sick this winter, even people who have had flu shots.” Is this really a bad flu season? Before we answer that question, I would like to complain about what the Times wrote: ‘more people you know are sick this winter, even people who have had flu shots”.  A similar sentiment appeared in a recent Forbes column “Influenza-like-illness is sweeping the country with the Centers for Disease Control &...
Source: virology blog - January 11, 2013 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information H1N1 H3N2 influenza mortality pneumonia season viral virus Source Type: blogs

CDC Reports Flu Widespread, Google Search Trends Alarming
According to new surveillance statistics released on Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), forty-seven states in the U.S. are now reporting widespread influenza activity [1]. The virus, which first appeared in the Southeast, has reached epidemic levels. Forty-seven states have reported widespread geographic influenza activity (i.e. incidence of flu) for the week between December 30, 2012 and January 5, 2013, and twenty-four states and New York City have reported high influenza-like illness (ILI) activity (i.e. the proportion of outpatient visits to healthcare providers for influenza-like illne...
Source: Highlight HEALTH - January 15, 2013 Category: Medical Scientists Authors: Walter Jessen, Ph.D. Source Type: blogs

Influenza H5N1 x H1N1 reassortants: ignore the headlines, it’s good science
Those of you with an interest in virology, or perhaps simply sensationalism, have probably seen the recent headlines proclaiming another laboratory-made killer influenza virus. From The Independent: ‘Appalling irresponsibility: Senior scientists attack Chinese researchers for creating new strains of influenza virus’; and from InSing.com: ‘Made-in-China killer flu virus’. It’s unfortunate that the comments of several scientists have tainted what is a very well done set of experiments. Let’s deconstruct the situation with an analysis of the science that was done. It is known that avian inf...
Source: virology blog - May 8, 2013 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Commentary Information aerosol transmission avian H5N1 ferret guinea pig H1N1 Hualan Chen hybrid virus influenza reassortant viral Source Type: blogs

Is it Time for Your Flu Shot or Extra Nutrition?
Conclusions Flu vaccinations have caused serious disease and death, including miscarriages, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and influenza. The influenza vaccine has been reported to be effective zero to 50% of the time. Safer practices exist to build one’s immune system and stay healthy this winter. Some suggestions for avoiding illness include eating nutrient-dense foods, taking vitamins C and D, resting and detoxifying through Epsom salt baths. References: http://articles.mercola.com…flu-vaccination-epa-safety-limit-for-mercury.aspx http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/deadly-truth-about-flu-vaccines… http://healthi...
Source: vactruth.com - January 10, 2017 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Michelle Goldstein Tags: Logical Michelle Goldstein Physical Recent Articles Top Picks flu shot influenza truth about vaccines Vaccine Death Source Type: blogs

2018: The Near Future of Flu
The influenza virus continues to be wildly successful at growing and spreading in people around the world because it slightly changes its structure from time to time to avoid our body’s detection systems. In particular, influenza periodically changes some of the proteins in the outer envelope of the virus to mislead our immune systems. We get fooled again and again. When someone with the flu coughs or sneezes, huge amounts of virus are spewed out in droplets that travel up to about 6 feet. Inhaling these droplets is the surest way for the virus to enter our bodies. It can also enter through landing on the eye. Beyond...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - December 14, 2017 Category: Child Development Authors: Alan Greene MD Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog Colds & Flu Cough Source Type: blogs