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Flu & URI

News, opinions and meeting coverage in infectious disease.

A Bad Combo: Predatory Journals and Homeopathy Studies

A study of a homeopathic treatment for colds proves nothing, says Roy Benaroch, MD

Patient Registries See Promise and Challenges Ahead

Physician-driven registries adapt to a changing health system

Morning Break: Your Body on a Coke? No Sex for Grandpa

Health news and commentary from around the Web, gathered by the 麻豆传媒 staff

Vaccines and Biologics: Questions Remain

Vaccinations for patients with autoimmune diseases -- specifically patients being treated with biologics -- bring with them a variety of issues, including disease-specific, medication-related, and vaccine-associated factors, researchers suggested.

MERS Knowledge Gaps Troubling to Many

SAN FRANCISCO -- Although much is known about the Middle East coronavirus (MERS-CoV), "unfortunately some issues are still unresolved," according to the man in charge of battling the outbreak.

FDA Warns of Fatal Skin Reactions with Acetaminophen

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- Acetaminophen is associated with rare but severe and sometimes fatal skin reactions at usual doses, the FDA said Thursday.

Clinical Notes: Beware the Seat Heater

麻豆传媒 debuts a new regular feature, a roundup of clinical news you might otherwise have missed. This week we led with a report that heated car seats can leave passengers with "toasted skin syndrome."

Air Temp, Moisture Determine How Stuffy Nose Feels

Complaints of a "stuffy" nose may have as much to do with air temperature and humidity as with actual congestion of nasal passages, researchers said.

CDC Watching H1N1 Mutation, but No Cause for Alarm

The CDC is keeping a careful eye on a mutation in some strains of the pandemic H1N1 flu that Norwegian researchers isolated from three patients with severe disease.

IDSA: Retracted Mask Study Adds to H1N1 Confusion

PHILADELPHIA -- For workers on the front lines of the H1N1 pandemic flu, the retraction of a study on protective masks adds to the confusion over how to guard against infection, experts said.

Obama Declares H1N1 a National Emergency

WASHINGTON -- President Obama has upped the ante in the battle to control the H1N1 flu by declaring it a national emergency, the second such declaration since the flu first emerged last spring.

Unmasking the Surgical Mask: Does It Really Work?

For a century, the surgical mask has been the symbol of a safe and sanitary medical environment. The problem is that researchers don't really know if that's true.

ICAAC: Surgical Masks Don't Prevent Infection

SAN FRANCISCO -- Consistent use of N95 respirator masks prevents 75% of respiratory infections for high-risk healthcare workers regardless of whether seal against the skin is confirmed, according to the first randomized clinical trial of their efficacy.

Rapid Tests Miss Mark for Pandemic H1N1 Flu

Rapid tests for the H1N1 pandemic flu are at least 89% accurate -- but only if a tested specimen has a high level of the virus, the CDC said.

IVW: 'High Risk' of Resistant Swine Flu, Researcher Says

CANNES, France -- Using single antiviral drugs to treat the current outbreak of swine influenza could result in the development of a resistant strain, a leading flu researcher said here.

Ginseng Safe for Short-Term Pediatric Use

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Ginseng appears safe for treating children with cold and flu symptoms, researchers here found.

Seasonal Flu Starts in Asia and Migrates Throughout World

CAMBRIDGE, England -- Seasonal influenza starts in east and southeast Asia and follows a highly predictable path to infect the rest of the world, researchers here said.

Antibiotics and Steroids Ineffective in Sinus Infection

SOUTHAMPTON, England -- Amoxicillin and nasal budesonide were no more effective than placebo in treating acute sinus infections, researchers here found.

Most Over-the-Counter Cough Remedies Have No Value

NORTHBROOK, Ill. - Most over-the-counter cough remedies do next to nothing, according to new cough guidelines issued by the American College of Chest Physicians.

Cold Feet? Aah-Choo!

CARDIFF, Wales - Mom had it right. You can catch your death of cold if you don't bundle up and keep your feet warm and dry. That's the conclusion of British researchers.

Actor Brad Pitt Leaves Hospital After Treatment for Viral Meningitis

LOS ANGELES-Film star Brad Pitt, 41, is resting at home after a brief hospitalization for treatment of viral meningitis, according to his spokesperson. Although Pitt recently visited Ethiopia, where there has been a meningitis outbreak, it is considered unlikely that his illness is linked to the trip because Pitt's meningitis was viral, not the bacterial meningococcal meningitis rampant in East Africa.

FDA Okays Single Dose Antibiotic for Pneumonia and Sinusitis

NEW YORK-The FDA has approved Zmax (azithromycin extended release) as a single-dose treatment for adults with pneumonia and certain types of acute mild-to-moderate bacterial sinusitis and pneumonia, Pfizer announced yesterday.