MedPage Today Flu & URI

• Death Rates for Flu Vary Widely from Year to Year August 26, 2010
  Death rates associated with influenza vary widely from season to season, but are markedly higher when the more lethal H3N2 strains are prominent among circulating flu variants, according to new CDC estimates. […]
• Pandemic Flu Strain Will Be Component of Seasonal Vaccine July 30, 2010
  As expected, the U.S. flu vaccine for next fall will include the pandemic flu that has swept the world, the FDA said. […]
• Pandemic Strain Dominated Most Recent Flu Season July 29, 2010
  Pandemic H1NI influenza was almost the only type of flu virus circulating in the U.S. during the 2009-2010 flu season -- and it disproportionately affected younger age groups, according to the CDC. […]
• Prospects Improve for Universal Flu Vaccine July 16, 2010
  A novel DNA-based influenza vaccine strategy successfully immunized mice and ferrets against infection with multiple flu strains, suggesting that future flu vaccines may not have to be reformulated every year. […]
• FDA Warns Consumers About Fake Tamiflu Online June 17, 2010
  WASHINGTON -- The FDA warned consumers Thursday to be alert for websites selling a fake "generic" version of the flu drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu), which may be dangerous to patients allergic to penicillin. […]
• CDC: SCID is Contraindication for Rotavirus Vaccine June 10, 2010
  ATLANTA -- Rotavirus vaccine should not be given to infants with severe combined immunodeficiency, according to new CDC guidance. […]
• Pandemic H1N1 Flu Similar to Seasonal Influenza June 9, 2010
  The pandemic H1N1 influenza virus is similar to seasonal influenza A viruses in terms of viral shedding, symptoms, and household transmission, researchers in Hong Kong found. […]