Health News

Nelson Mandela Dies
Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, has died. He was 95.
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?
How Doctors Prescribe Antibiotics to Kids
In the past, it wasn't uncommon for kids to be prescribed antibiotics for almost any respiratory infection. Now doctors are more careful about prescribing them only when necessary.
Little Lungs May Struggle When Born a Little Early
It's already understood that babies born very early are at a higher risk for respiratory problems. Yet even being a week or two early might increase this risk slightly.
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.