New Drug From MIT Cures Nearly All Viral Infections, Including Common...
Most bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics such as penicillin, discovered decades ago. However, such drugs are useless against viral infections, including influenza,...
Wide Gap in Immune Responses of People Exposed to the Flu
Why do some folks who take every precaution still get the flu, while others never even get the sniffles?
It comes down to a person's...
New Anti-Inflammatory Agents Silence Overactive Immune Response
A new way to fight inflammation uses molecules called polymers to mop up the debris of damaged cells before the immune system becomes abnormally...
Possibility of Temporarily Reversing Aging in the Immune System
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism controlling aging in white blood cells. The research, published in the September issue of the Journal of Immunology,...
Flu Helps Spread Pneumonia
Bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis are only able to spread when individuals are infected with flu, says a scientist reporting at the Society for General Microbiology's Spring Conference in Harrogate. The work could have implications for the management of influenza pandemics and could help reduce incidence of pneumococcal infections in very young children, who are more susceptible to disease.
Acupuncture And Chinese Medicine Strongly Protect Us From Colds And Flu
Cold and flu season is upon us. Traditional Chinese Medicine has effective time-tested techniques which boost immunity and protect us from colds or the flu. Points can be needled and herbal formulas can be given to balance the body's energy, strengthen the body and even speed recovery if one does come down with symptoms.
Zinc Reduces The Burden Of The Common Cold
Zinc supplements reduce the severity and duration of illness caused by the common cold, according to a systematic review published in The Cochrane Library. The findings could help reduce the amount of time lost from work and school due to colds.
Latest Echinacea Trial Not So Clear Cut, Herbal Experts Say
A recently published clinical trial on Echinacea failed to show a statistically significant benefit for cold symptoms. So what, exactly, did this trial find? "There was a slight trend toward benefit in symptom reduction in both Echinacea groups, with a reduction in duration by about 12 hours, which, although not statistically significant, the authors note may be considered clinically significant by some patients," Blumenthal said.
New Gut Bacteria Regulate Immunity
Another example of commensal microbes that affect host immunity may hold implications for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and other ailments. An abundant type of bacteria that resides in the intestines is critical for keeping the immune system of the colon in check, according to a study published online today (December 23) in ScienceExpress.
Remarkable Effects Of Fat Loss On The Immune System
Australian scientists have shown for the first time that even modest weight loss reverses many of the damaging changes often seen in the immune cells of obese people, particularly those with Type 2 diabetes.
Physical Fitness Curbs Frequency And Severity Of Colds, Study Finds
People who are physically fit and active have fewer and milder colds, indicates research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The...
Putting A Bull’s-Eye On The Flu: Detailing Influenza’s Structure For Drug...
Beating the flu is already tough, but it has become even harder in recent years -- the influenza A virus has mutated so that two antiviral drugs don't slow it down anymore. Reporting their findings in the journal Science, researchers from Florida State and Brigham Young move closer to understanding why not, and how future treatments can defeat the nasty bug no matter how it changes.
