Influenza

Researchers explore respiratory syncytial virus infection before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

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In a recent study published in JAMA Network Openresearchers assessed the occurrence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection before and at the time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Study: Incidence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Older Adults Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock Background Acute respiratory infection (ARI) … Read more

Virus triple threat

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Early in the COVID pandemic, surges of other seasonal respiratory viruses like influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were far below normal levels, likely because of masking and other precautions that were in place to try and stifle the spread of SARS-CoV-2 . But in the third year of the pandemic, as the public has … Read more

Atomic-level computer model of the H1N1 virus reveals new vulnerabilities

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According to the World Health Organization, each year there are an estimated 1 billion cases of influenza, between 3-5 million severe cases and up to 650,000 influenza-related respiratory deaths globally. Seasonal flu vaccines must be reformulated each year to match the predominantly circulating strains. When the vaccine matches the predominant strain, it is very effective; … Read more

Understanding endemic and novel zoonotic spillovers from rodent trapping studies

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The global impact of novel zoonotic pathogen spillovers has been highlighted through the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the rapid outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. In the past, similar effects were recorded during the HIV/AIDs and Spanish Influenza pandemics. Study: Rodent trapping studies as an overlooked information … Read more

First known epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in farmed mink

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Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) is a strain of the avian influenza virus that primarily affects birds, particularly poultry. HPAI A(H5N1) is a highly contagious and deadly virus that can cause severe illness and death in birds, including chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys. It has made a resurgence after many months of extremely low … Read more

Does COVID-19 disrupt the immune system?

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Question: I’ve read that COVID can disrupt the immune system and make people more susceptible to other infections. Is this the reason why hospitals have been swamped with so many cases of flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), especially among children? Answer: The theory that a COVID-19 infection might cause some type of immune dysfunction … Read more

Flu, Covid-19 and RSV are all trending down for the first time in months

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CNN — A rough respiratory virus season in the US appears to be easing, as three major respiratory viruses that have battered the country for the past few months are finally all trending down at the same time. A new dataset from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the number of … Read more

How Does SARS-CoV-2 Affect Other Respiratory Diseases?

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Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. In 2020, the rapid spread of the newly identified SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus led various global public health institutions to establish strategies to stop transmission and reduce mortality. Nonpharmacological measures — including social distancing, regular hand washing, and the use of face masks … Read more

What is Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 Risk?

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COVID-19 has changed. If you’re vaccinated and not immunocompromised, the disease is usually not as deadly as it once was. But it still poses a risk. With statistics changing and new variants emerging, it can be confusing to figure out what exactly that risk is. One of the reasons for this, a physician and epidemiologist … Read more

Researchers find that study results converge on a consistent relationship between antibody levels and protection from COVID-19

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In a recent study published in Emerging Infectious Diseasesresearchers described the factors associated with protection, protection thresholds, and immunobridging in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Study: Correlates of Protection, Thresholds of Protection, and Immunobridging among Persons with SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Image Credit: ktsdesign/Shutterstock Background Forecasting the future efficacy of vaccines to determine the link between protection … Read more