The Infona portal uses cookies, i.e. strings of text saved by a browser on the user's device. The portal can access those files and use them to remember the user's data, such as their chosen settings (screen view, interface language, etc.), or their login data. By using the Infona portal the user accepts automatic saving and using this information for portal operation purposes. More information on the subject can be found in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By closing this window the user confirms that they have read the information on cookie usage, and they accept the privacy policy and the way cookies are used by the portal. You can change the cookie settings in your browser.
There are important gaps in our current understanding of the influenza virus behavior. In particular, it remains unclear why some inter-pandemic seasons are associated with unusually high mortality impact, sometimes comparable to that of pandemics. Here we compare the epidemiological patterns of the unusually deadly 1951 influenza epidemic (A/H1N1) in England and Wales and Canada with those of surrounding...
The use of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-inducing vaccines could afford both homo- and heterosubtypic immunity. However, amino acid variation in CTL epitopes associated with escape from CTL-mediated immunity might undermine the use of these vaccines. To assess the impact of amino acid substitutions in highly conserved epitopes on viral fitness and recognition by specific CTL, we performed a mutational...
Re-analysis of the influenza pandemic of 1918 has given reassurance about a rather low reproductive number (R o ), a prolonged herald wave of virus and that the skewed mortality towards the young adult could be a singularly unique event dependent upon previous infection history, perhaps not to be repeated in a future pandemic. Over 99% of those who contracted the virus survived, in spite of...
The study evaluates the risk/benefit of influenza vaccination in patients on stable long-term oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT). One hundred and four consecutive patients with indication for influenza vaccination were randomized to receive one dose of 2004/2005 influenza vaccine followed by placebo after 6 weeks, or vice versa, in a cross-over blinded trial. All patients were tested for anticoagulation...
It is over 20 years since the publication of experiments that showed that influenza A virus RNA synthesis takes place in the cell nucleus and that here, the virus subverts the cellular transcription machinery to express and replicate its own single-strand RNA genome. In the years since, our understanding of the organisation of the nucleus has increased enormously, particularly with regards to the...
This study examined the antibody response against the three vaccine antigens and the epidemic A/H3N2 drift variant (A/California) and the prevention of laboratory diagnosed influenza infections in a group of elderly institutionalized people vaccinated with the 2004/2005 influenza vaccine. Antibody titres were measured by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) in sera collected before and 1 month after vaccination...
Because of the time required to identify and produce an antigenically well-matched pandemic vaccine, vaccines that offer broader cross-reactive immunity and protection are desirable. We have compared a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) and inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) based on a related H5 hemagglutinin (HA) from a nonpathogenic avian influenza virus, A/Duck/Pottsdam/1042-6/86 (H5N2),...
There is substantial heterogeneity with regard to influenza case definitions used in the medical literature. These different case definitions can vary substantially with regard to their sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values for confirmed influenza. Because of this heterogeneity, it is important that the appropriate case definitions be used to answer the specific questions...
Upper respiratory illnesses, including colds and influenza-like illnesses, are common among college and university students. We have established an ongoing, serial cohort study to assess the occurrences of these illnesses among college and university students as well as the impact of these illnesses on overall health, school and work performance, and health care use. In this paper we report on the...
The 1918 influenza pandemic known as the “Spanish Flu” has been the worst in recent history with estimated worldwide mortality ranging from 20 to 100 million deaths. Using epidemic modeling and hospital notification data during the 1918 influenza pandemic in the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland, we estimated the reproductive numbers of the first and second waves of influenza infection to be R 1 ...
The aim of the study was to increase the vaccination rates of influenza among the risk groups in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden. The main interventions performed were education of doctors and nurses, information on the Internet and advice on administrative routines and organisation for the task. There was no campaign towards the risk group and no reimbursement. The vaccination rate increased from...
Set the date range to filter the displayed results. You can set a starting date, ending date or both. You can enter the dates manually or choose them from the calendar.