Health News

New Strain of Bird Flu Infects Human
Human cases of bird flu are no longer unheard of, but the latest case is especially catching the attention of global health officials — it's the first infection with a new strain.
Last Season's Vaccines Saved Millions From Flu
Americans might get a flu vaccine to avoid getting sick, but they might not consider the large scale outcome of this decision — the millions of flu cases across the country avoided through vaccination.
At-Risk Asthma Patients and the Flu Vaccine
While going without flu vaccination can mean risking an unpleasant few days of sickness for most, it can mean risking major illness and hospital time for those with certain conditions.
Hong Kong Finds Human H7N9 Case
Shortly after US health officials took the precaution of approving a vaccine for the H5N1 bird flu strain, another strain is causing concerns for a different nation.
Bird Flu Vaccine Approved
Talk of bird flu may make people a little nervous. So many will likely be relieved to hear that the US government has approved a vaccine to protect against one strain of the virus.
How Vaccines Have Changed Disease Rates
Sometimes it's easy to forget how common many diseases were before vaccines for them were introduced. When the disease is not around, people may not notice as much.
Impact of the H1N1 Flu Pandemic
In 2009, there were concerns across the world about the H1N1 flu. It turns out that, overall, death rates from this flu pandemic weren't worse than those of other flu seasons — at least for some.
FDA Approves First Adjuvanted Vaccine for Prevention of Bird Flu
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first adjuvanted vaccine for the prevention of H5N1 influenza, commonly known as avian or bird flu.
Antivirals May Help Kids Fight the Flu
One of the best ways to avoid the flu is to get the annual flu vaccine. Yet many children will still get the flu each year and possibly need hospitalization. Can antivirals help?
A New Type of Bird Flu
Bird flu is often talked about as if it's one disease, but there are a variety of avian influenza strains, some of which have been discovered in humans and some of which have only been seen in birds. The authors of a new study took a close look at the first reported human patient with the H6N1 bird flu strain.