Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

How underreporting masks the real impact of RSV in older populations

Research shows RSV leads to high hospitalization rates in adults, emphasizing the importance of enhanced surveillance and diagnostic measures in healthcare.

1 Jul 2025

Rarely studied RNA linked to triple-negative breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in the United States. Thanks to decades of fundamental research, it's also one of the most curable.

1 Jul 2025

Researchers link genetic ancestry to severity of dengue fever

For the first time, the extreme variability in dengue fever has been linked to a biological mechanism, potentially opening doors to new treatments and vaccines for the most common mosquito-borne disease worldwide.

30 Jun 2025

Shingles and RSV vaccines with AS01 adjuvant reduce dementia risk

Researchers found that older adults who received AS01-adjuvanted shingles or RSV vaccines had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia within 18 months compared to flu vaccine recipients. The protective effect is likely linked to the AS01 adjuvant itself, highlighting new avenues for dementia prevention.

30 Jun 2025

A Texas boy needed protection from measles. The vaccine cost $1,400.

In the early days of the West Texas measles outbreak, Thang Nguyen eyed the rising number of cases and worried. His 4-year-old son was at risk because he had received only the first of the vaccine's two doses.

30 Jun 2025

Global effort enters an active growth phase to preserve the Earth's microbial heritage

A global effort to create a "microbial Noah's Ark" to preserve the world's diverse collection of healthy microbes before they disappear is now entering an active growth phase.

27 Jun 2025

New study reveals how diverse brain cells unite to guide decisions

Every decision begins invisibly. Long before someone acts, the brain is already hard at work gathering evidence, weighing options, and gradually committing to a choice.

27 Jun 2025

LMU researchers uncover mechanism for metabolism without cell membranes

LMU researchers have demonstrated a possible mechanism for metabolic processes without cell membranes in water-filled pores.

27 Jun 2025

Kennedy’s vaccine advisers sow doubts as scientists protest US pivot on shots

As fired and retired scientists rallied outside in the Atlanta heat, an advisory panel that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. handpicked to replace experts he'd fired earlier met inside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's headquarters to plan a more skeptical vaccine future.

27 Jun 2025

New technology brings antibiotic resistance surveillance to the field

Antibiotics are one of the greatest triumphs in the history of medical science - but these lifesaving tools have a dark side.

26 Jun 2025

Updated COVID-19 vaccines found effective against severe illness

A new multi-state study led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) VISION Network – including Regenstrief Institute – has provided the most comprehensive assessment to date of the effectiveness of 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines among adults in the U.S. during the XBB and JN.1 Omicron subvariant waves.

25 Jun 2025

ADC189 shows promise as a single-dose treatment for influenza

Influenza continues to pose a significant global health burden, with seasonal outbreaks causing substantial morbidity and mortality.

24 Jun 2025

Probiotics remain potent in simple plant-based drinks

Non-encapsulated probiotics thrive in fruit and vegetable juices, maintaining viability and sensory appeal, paving the way for innovative functional beverages.

24 Jun 2025

Experimental drug promotes weight loss by heating fat instead of suppressing appetite

An article published in the journal Nature Metabolism presents an experimental drug that stimulates adipose tissue cells to produce heat through a process known as thermogenesis, thereby promoting weight loss.

24 Jun 2025

Monitoring wastewater proves effective in forecasting COVID trends

Published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, a University of Minnesota research team demonstrated that measuring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater continues to accurately predict COVID-19 infections in a community.

24 Jun 2025

Smartwatches could help stop pandemics before they start

Smartwatch features that measure heart rates, oxygen levels, fitness levels and sleep quality have been marketed as valuable tools for people who are eager to monitor their health.

23 Jun 2025

Many older people embrace vaccines. Research is proving them right.

Kim Beckham, an insurance agent in Victoria, Texas, had seen friends suffer so badly from shingles that she wanted to receive the first approved shingles vaccine as soon as it became available, even if she had to pay for it out-of-pocket.

23 Jun 2025

UK heatwave expected to cause 570 deaths by end of weekend

About 570 people in England and Wales are expected to die as a result of high temperatures from Thursday 19 June 2025 to Sunday 22 June 2025, a rapid study has estimated.

21 Jun 2025

AI reveals how H5N1 virus is evolving to evade human immunity

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has infected birds and mammals around the world. As of June 2025, 70 people have been infected, and 1 person has died in the United States.

20 Jun 2025