When observed under a microscope, it appears to be a group of ordinary jacks, eight spikes extending out from a sphere. However, the nanoparticles made of protein are sciences’ latest weapon in the fight against influenza. The vaccine is today’s new breed, which provides better and far broader protection than ones available currently today, at least in tests performed on laboratory animals. Flu vaccines today currently utilize inactivated whole viruses that must be remade on a regular basis so... 

Health regulators in the United States are weighing growing evidence of an association between GlaxoSmithKline’s pandemic flu vaccine and a rise in cases of narcolepsy among children who received the vaccine in Europe. Narcolepsy is a chronic and potentially debilitating sleep disorder. The condition is characterized by hallucinations, daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, a form of muscle weakness precipitated by strong emotion. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that children... 

Another flu season is coming to a close in the U.S. after killing 105 children thus far, which is about the average for any one flu season. This flu season started nearly one full month earlier than normal, sparking great concern it could turn into one of the worst in the past 10 years. The flu season was very hard on elderly people, but overall was only moderately severe, according to data released by the Center for Disease Control. Six of the children who died were reported just a week ago and... 

An analysis performed by the U.S. government of the flu vaccine for this season suggests it only was effective in just over 56% of the people who received it. The analysis also said the vaccine failed largely to protect elderly people against a very deadly strain of flu that has circulated during this flu season. The findings, said the U.S. Center for Disease and Control underscore the necessity for addition effective weapons against influenza, which has killed between 3,000 and 5,000 each year in... 

Because the flu season has been hitting the U.S. very hard this winter, many people have started to search for remedies that are cheaper. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers that they should stay away from buying medications for the flu online. Since the end of January, over a dozen letters have been sent out by the FDA to companies demanding that the companies halt the deceptive labeling of their products as remedies for flu and to stop selling medicines marked as... 

People as well as medical caregivers are scrambling to find flu shots as late comers now are seeking protection from what is being called a miserable strain of flu that has spread through much of the U.S. very early in the season. On Friday, heath officials said there were some flu vaccines still available and it was not too late to receive their benefits. However, people are having to call to find vaccines or are being told there is a wait as clinics and doctor’s are having to wait for shipments.... 

The flu outbreak nationwide has turned in a dangerous direction in Boston. Thomas Menino the Boston Mayor has declared the city under a state of emergency. In the last few weeks, 18 people in the state of Massachusetts have lost their lives after coming down with the flu. Massachusetts General Hospital is restricting visitors in some sections of the hospital such as on the OB-GYN floors as to protect some of the most vulnerable patients in the hospital. The hospital is also asking its staff to wear... 

Both Switzerland and Italy have stopped sales of flu vaccines by Novartis after the company had informed authorities in Italy of a particle buildup in its shots. Novartis claims the products are still safe. The Italian Health Ministry announced on Friday through a statement that Novartis had not provided them with sufficient information to know the makeup of different proteins found in Fluad and Agrippal shots or what impact they might have on the safety and quality of the shots. Officials were quick... 

Scientists have been tinkering with a strain of bird flu to understand how they are able to transition from birds to mammals.  The goal was to see how many mutations it takes until the flu strain is capable of spreading from mammal to mammal.  A new strain of flu that can spread quickly in humans has emerged four times in the past century.  The one that emerged in 1918 killed an estimated 50 million people. A fierce debate broke out about the wisdom of publishing the experiments when news of their... 

The flu season came a little late this season as doctor’s offices and hospitals across the United States have been quiet so far. February is historically the peak season for flu cases and it is the time when people become sick compared to the rest of the year. The start of the flu season is declared when the number of respiratory specimens tested positive for the virus rises above 10 percent. It usually happens around late December and there were cases when it came as early as October. But this...