Tagged: Influenza

Improving New Zealand’s preparations for the next pandemic - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Feb 01, 2017 •

• ebola,
• emerging infectious dieseases,
• Horizon Scan,
• Influenza,
• Pandemic,
• public health,
• SARS,
• zika

By Dr Julia Scott, Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Michael Baker.  In a globalised world an infectious disease outbreak anywhere is a potential threat to New Zealand. Recent such threats have included severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), pandemic influenza (2009), Ebola and Zika. In the context of an upcoming University of Otago, Wellington Public Health Summer School symposium on … Read More

Infectious diseases in New Zealand - Guest Work

InfectedNZ • Nov 21, 2016 •

• bird flu,
• Flu,
• H1N1,
• H5N1,
• InfectedNZ,
• Infectious Diseases,
• Influenza,
• public health,
• SARS,
• Viruses

By Associate Professor Lance Jennings, as part of the #InfectedNZ online campaign to raise awareness about infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. In the context of World Antibiotic Awareness week (November 14-20) and efforts to raise the awareness of infectious diseases in New Zealand, it is useful to include a discussion on viruses.  Although few treatments and vaccines … Read More

Why it’s time for a rethink on flu vaccination - Guest Work

Guest Author • Nov 18, 2016 •

• Flu,
• Infectious disease,
• Influenza,
• Influenza vaccine,
• public health,
• universal vaccine,
• Vaccine

By Derek Gatherer, Lancaster University I recently had my annual flu shot. Along with all the others who’ve received it, I’ll be hoping that it does the job of preventing me catching flu this winter – or at least reducing the severity of the disease if I do get it. Most years, it works, but occasionally things … Read More

Paracetamol has no effect on the flu - Unsorted

Sarah-Jane O'Connor • Dec 07, 2015 •

• Flu,
• Health,
• Influenza,
• Medicine,
• New Zealand,
• Paracetamol,
• research

It’s included in numerous over-the-counter cold and flu medicines, but according to New Zealand researchers paracetamol has no effect on the flu. Research published today in Respirology found no difference in the severity or duration of influenza symptoms, temperature or viral load in patients taking paracetamol – indicating no benefits from taking the medicine while sick with the flu. The … Read More

Flu claims Antarctic researcher - Griffin's Gadgets

Peter Griffin • Aug 04, 2014 •

• Antarctica,
• Influenza,
• swine flu

A lot of people in the scientific community are struggling to come to terms with the death of Antarctic historian and museum curator Natalie Cadenhead, who died at Christchurch Hospital on July 24 of influenza. Natalie was only 47, a fit and healthy tramper as this report from The Press explains. She didn’t get the flu vaccine, because, … Read More

Antiviral Stockpiles for Pandemic Preparedness: Time for a Careful Rethink? - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • May 12, 2014 •

• antiviral,
• influenza,
• pandemic,
• pandemic readiness,
• stockpiling

Associate Professor Nick Wilson and Professor Michael Baker As part of influenza pandemic readiness, NZ has a 32 million dollar stockpile of antiviral drugs. But given recent evidence from a new Cochrane systematic review – NZ policymakers should probably now … Continue reading → … Read More

Lessons From History: Helping New Zealand Prepare for Future Influenza Pandemics - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Nov 29, 2013 •

• border control,
• crowding,
• existential risks,
• immunisation,
• influenza,
• pandemics

Associate Professor Nick Wilson and Professor Michael Baker Flu pandemics are important but relatively rare so the lessons learned from such events may not be available when they are most needed. This is where historical research can help. Here we … Continue reading → … Read More

Monday Micro – Influ-Venn-Za! - Infectious Thoughts

Siouxsie Wiles • Apr 15, 2013 •

• bird flu,
• China,
• Flu,
• H7N9,
• Influenza,
• Information is Beautiful,
• Venn diagram

A new strain of bird flu (H7N9*) has appeared in China. Since the first report two weeks ago, 51 people are known to have been infected of which 11 have died. Transmission seems to be from close contact with poultry and many birds are being culled as a precaution. Cases started in Shanghai and the eastern provinces of … Read More

Sunday shorts, 1st April 2012. Awards, bullet-proof hard drives and more. - Code for life

Grant Jacobs • Apr 01, 2012 •

• computers,
• deafness,
• hard drives,
• Homeopathy,
• Influenza,
• New Zealand

(Sorry, no April Fool’s joke here.) Congratulations to Zoe Hilton for her Unesco-L'Oreal International Fellowship who ’won one of three fellowships awarded to young women in the Asia Pacific region’. Well done! More details are in the New Zealand Unesco news page and the New Zealand Herald. There’s some wonderful historic … Read More

‘Flu’ flight triggers mild panic - Infectious Thoughts

Siouxsie Wiles • Feb 13, 2012 •

• air new zealand,
• Close Up,
• Flu,
• H3N2,
• Influenza,
• Japan

This morning Auckland airport was apparently on alert after an Air New Zealand flight landed from Japan with a quarter of its passengers reportedly suffering from flu-like symptoms. According to this report, officials were alerted by the Captain just before they landed. This story is quite interesting on a number of fronts. Japan is currently experiencing a nationwide … Read More