Young Anna Argyris, associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Media and Information, is part of an international team studying the detrimental effects of vaccine misinformation on social media and interventions that can increase vaccine uptake behaviors.
Tag: Vaccines
In fight against brain pathogens, the eyes have it
The eyes have been called the window to the brain. It turns out they also serve as an immunological barrier that protects the organ from pathogens and even tumors, Yale researchers have found.
Fighting the flu: The surprising power of a century-old vaccine for tuberculosis
As Canada’s flu season collides with record strep A cases and ongoing COVID-19 concerns, a new study is shedding light on our understanding of respiratory immune responses
Studies find flu vaccines were effective in 2022-2023 flu season
The prospect of the worrisome triple threat of COVID, RSV and flu was assuaged last year by the effectiveness of flu vaccines.
Pharmacology Expert Comments on RSV Vaccination Errors
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that some pregnant Americans may have been given the wrong RSV vaccine, and some young children received a vaccine approved for use in adults only. Now, a pharmacology expert at New York Institute…
Vaccines May Protect Against Alzheimer’s, But How? Asks Domenico Praticò, MD, FCPP
Commonly used vaccines may also protect against dementia, according to a recent paper published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease [J. Alzheimer’s Disease 2023; 95(2): 703–718)]. The authors found that after receiving the tetanus/diphtheria vaccine and whooping cough (aka, pertussis)…
Infectious Disease Expert Available: Flu Season, COVID-19 Variant and other Respiratory Viruses
In the United States, flu season usually occurs in the fall and winter, and while influenza viruses spread year-round, most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February. The overall impact of the flu varies from season to…
Vaccines: A few minutes now could spare you misery later
A guide to vaccines that adults – especially older adults and those with underlying health issues – should get to avoid serious illness this fall and winter, and beyond.
An AI Tool That Can Help Forecast Viral Outbreaks
EVEscape predicts future viral mutations, new variants using evolutionary, biological information
MSU expert: What to know about flu, RSV, new COVID-19 variant and new vaccine
The new COVID-19 EG.5 variant is responsible for around 22% of current cases. The World Health Organization has classified it as a “variant of interest,” meaning countries should monitor it more closely than other strains — and cases have only increased in the past few weeks. Peter Gulick is an expert on infectious diseases, and he provides insight on what this new variant could mean and what you should know.
Pharmacists can improve access to life-saving vaccines
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted infection. It is also the leading cause of cervical cancer. Over 1,400 Canadian women are affected yearly, with almost 400 deaths, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Study details immune cells vital to success of vaccines against coronavirus
A study has revealed new details about a key population of immune system cells critical to successful vaccination against the pandemic virus, SARS-CoV-2.
Exiting the pandemic together: achieving global immunity and equity
A new editorial paper was published in Oncoscience (Volume 10) on September 1, 2023, entitled, “Exiting the pandemic together: achieving global immunity and equity.”
LJI scientists harness ‘helper’ T cells to treat tumors
La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) scientists have published a pair of studies that show how we might harness CD4+ T cells while boosting the cancer-fighting power of CD8+ “killer” T cells.
COVID-19, Flu and RSV vaccines — what you need to know
Keck Medicine of USC experts discuss new recommendations for staying healthy and safe during the respiratory virus season
Dr. Carol Nwelue discusses how to keep your kids healthy when going back to school.
Carol Nwelue, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. How can parents keep their kids healthy this back-to-school season? (SOT@ 0:14, TRT 0:34) Why do sicknesses spread easily when…
An adjuvanted intranasal vaccine for COVID-19 protects both young and old mice
A collaborative research effort led by the University of Michigan and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has resulted in a nasal vaccine adjuvant that stops COVID infection in both young and old mice.
Asymptomatic infections may underlie recent rise in whooping cough
In a new study, scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) compared the immune response of individuals who received older versus newer versions of the whooping cough vaccine. The unexpected findings may help explain the recent rise in whooping cough cases and point to potential targets for the next generation of vaccines.
New algorithm may fuel vaccine development
Immune system researchers have designed a computational tool to boost pandemic preparedness. Scientists can use this new algorithm to compare data from vastly different experiments and better predict how individuals may respond to disease.
UC San Diego Health Experts Available to Discuss Shingles, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has developed rare complications due to a months-long shingles infection, including encephalitis (brain inflammation) and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. Ramsay Hunt Syndrome occurs when shingles infects cranial nerves, including the auditory, vestibular and facial nerves, which can…
Lockdowns and vaccines: a balancing act
A new study investigates whether COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccines complement or substitute each other, offering insights to policymakers about optimizing public health and economic outcomes.
Rutgers Launches Lyme Disease Vaccine Study
The university is participating in the effort to determine the efficacy of what could be the first vaccine to prevent Lyme disease in children ages 5 to 17
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA booster vaccinations increased and sustained the antibody responses
Booster vaccinations against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are being promoted worldwide to counter the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Too little sleep could make vaccination less effective
Sleeping fewer than six hours per night around the time of vaccination was associated with a robust decrease in antibody response, researchers found.
Education levels impact on belief in scientific misinformation and mistrust of COVID-19 preventive measures
A new study has found that people with a university degree were less likely to believe in COVID-19 misinformation and more likely to trust preventive measures than those without a degree.
LLNL Biomedical Licensee Collaborating With Two Drug Companies To Advance Treatments For Autoimmune Diseases
People afflicted with autoimmune diseases may someday receive help through treatments now under development by a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) licensee and its’ collaborations with two major pharmaceutical companies.
Breakthrough COVID-19 cases occur in 7.5% of vaccinated Texas participants, according to UTHealth Houston survey; subgroups at higher risk identified
Breakthrough COVID-19 infections after vaccination occurred in 7.5% of Texans surveyed and were linked to Hispanic ethnicity, larger household size, rural versus urban living, type of vaccination, and multiple comorbidities, according to findings from UTHealth Houston School of Public Health published today in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Artificial Intelligence Aids Discovery of Super Tight-Binding Antibodies
UC San Diego scientists developed an artificial intelligence tool that could accelerate the development of new high affinity antibody drugs.
Two UCI researchers named fellows by the National Academy of Inventors
Irvine, Calif., Dec. 8, 2022 — The National Academy of Inventors has named two University of California, Irvine researchers as fellows for 2022. Philip Felgner, a pioneer in the development of lifesaving mRNA vaccines, and Payam Heydari, a prolific creator of cutting-edge microelectronics technologies, were both recognized for inventions that have made tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.
Study reveals vaccine confidence declined considerably during COVID-19 pandemic
Researchers comparing pre and post-pandemic surveys have found confidence in vaccinations is considerably lower post pandemic amongst all demographic groups.
Study: Concerns over COVID-19 vaccine’s effectiveness, not general medical mistrust, slowed early uptake in Black, Latinx communities
New research on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Black, Latinx communities could help shape more persuasive messages to boost uptake.
Needs and Challenges for COVID-19 Boosters and Other Vaccines in the U.S.
FAU researchers and collaborators provide the most updated guidance to health care providers and urge how widespread vaccination with these boosters can now avoid the specter of future and more lethal variants becoming a reality.
Cancer Patients Treated with Immunotherapy Can Safely Receive mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines, According to JNCCN Study
New research published in the October 2022 issue of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network confirms the safety of mRNA vaccines in people with cancer undergoing immunotherapy treatment.
Risk of Severe Breakthrough COVID-19 Infection Is Higher for People With HIV With Moderately Low CD4 Cell Counts
People with HIV who have moderate immune suppression appear to be at greater risk of severe COVID-19 “breakthrough” infection after vaccination, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
University Hospitals Chosen as Site for United States Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Network
The Center for Disease Control’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases has awarded University Hospitals of Cleveland a sizable grant to support its assignment as a study site in the United States Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Network.
Pregnant Women of Lower Socioeconomic Status More Likely to Have Vaccine Hesitancy
A published study of 1,899 pregnant women nationwide representing all 50 states reveals that during the Covid-19 pandemic if a pregnant woman had lower socioeconomic status and/or were African American, she was less likely to have the intention of taking a Covid-19 vaccine or actually receiving it.
COVID mRNA vaccines are safe in patients with heart failure
COVID mRNA vaccines are associated with a decreased risk of death in patients with heart failure, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2022.
Mount Sinai Announces the Formation of CastleVax Inc., a Clinical-Stage Infectious Diseases Company Developing Novel Vaccines and Therapeutics, Targeting Pandemic Threats and Diseases of Unmet Medical Need
The Mount Sinai Health System has launched CastleVax, Inc. (“CastleVax”), a clinical-stage vaccine research and development company.
Disparities in United States COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
Health care facilities in Black metropolitan counties, Hispanic rural counties and hardest-hit counties were less likely to administer COVID-19 vaccines during initial rollout, UC San Diego study finds.
COVID vaccines averted infection in 10% of patient-facing healthcare staff during second wave
The rapid covid-19 vaccine rollout from December 2020 averted infection in a large proportion of NHS hospital workers in England during the second wave of the pandemic, suggests research published by The BMJ today.
Familiarity Breeds Exempt: Why Staph Vaccines Don’t Work in Humans
UC San Diego researchers say they may have found the reason why multiple human clinical trials of staphylococcus vaccines have failed: the bacteria knows us too well.
Immune Molecules From a Llama Could Provide Protection Against a Vast Array of SARS-like Viruses Including COVID-19, Researchers Say
Mount Sinai-led researchers have shown that tiny, robust immune particles derived from the blood of a llama could provide strong protection against every COVID-19 variant, including Omicron, and 18 similar viruses.
Researchers Continue Study of COVID-19 Vaccinations, Pregnancy and Postpartum
A $10 million grant over four years will support further examination of a national study looking at COVID-19 vaccination safety during pregnancy and immune response pre-and post-delivery for both mom and baby.
University of Pennsylvania’s First NFT Commemorates mRNA Research
The historic scientific breakthrough at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania that helped lead the world’s fight against COVID-19 through mRNA-based vaccines is being commemorated through a non-fungible token—a digital asset to be auctioned by Christie’s—that will support ongoing research at Penn.
SEIR Model to Address the Impact of Face Masks amid COVID-19 Pandemic
When vaccines are not available, alternative strategies are required to decrease SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Behavior of the population and government regulations, such as hand hygiene, quarantine of exposed persons, isolation of symptomatic persons, and travel restriction, play an essential role in…
Gene Sequencing an Important Tool in COVID-19 Battle
Researchers use gene sequencing to combat COVID-19.
The US reaches 1 Million Deaths from COVID-19: GW Experts Available to Comment
The United States has reached 1 million reported deaths from COVID-19 and that number is likely an undercount, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The George Washington University has a number of experts to comment on the…
2022 Warren Alpert Prize goes to mRNA research that enabled the design of COVID-19 vaccines
The work of the award recipients altered the trajectory of the pandemic and has saved countless lives
The discoveries made by the five scientists have opened the door for an array of mRNA-based therapies and vaccines for a range of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, bleeding disorders, and more
UCI professor wins prestigious Robert Koch Prize for groundbreaking research
Irvine, Calif., April 27, 2022 – Philip Felgner, Ph.D., professor in residence of physiology & biophysics at the University of California, Irvine, is one of two scholars to win the prestigious 2022 Robert Koch Prize for fundamental contributions to the transfer of nucleic acids into cells. This pioneering technology for treating infectious diseases played a crucial role in developing the messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccines.
Age, sex and waning COVID-19 antibodies
As widely-anticipated decisions about COVID-19 vaccine boosters roll out from U.S. agencies today, insights from an independent study underscore why boosters are important for all adults.