Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year. Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and; about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.
Trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), the most abundant trans fatty acid found in human breast milk, helps boost immune system development and has long-lasting effects on immune system health in mice, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Chicago.
A new study tracking thousands of B cells across more than 100 germinal centers in mice reveals how the system consistently produces highly effective antibodies.
T cells are among the immune system’s essential soldiers. They can inhibit tumor development and even combat serious infections.
In a new study published in Nature Immunology, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital demonstrated that pairing the original COVID-19 mRNA vaccine with an immune system enhancer, known as an adjuvant, extended the duration of the vaccine's protection in mice from a few months up to two years. The combo also showed a more pronounced response against omicron viral components than the vaccine alone.
Engineers from the University of Houston, MIT and Harvard have developed a new mRNA-based strategy that dramatically amplifies the T-cell response to vaccines - an advance that could lead to far more powerful cancer vaccines and stronger protection against infectious diseases.
As part of the body's first line of defense against foreign invaders, macrophages play an integral role in the innate immune system.
During the early stages of a pandemic, viruses tend to evolve in ways that enhance their ability to reproduce and spread, rather than to evade the host's immune system.
The influenza D virus that researchers say has been flying under the radar since its detection in animals in 2011 can vigorously make copies of itself in human cells and lung tissue samples, a new study shows.
An innovative gene-editing strategy could establish a new way for the body to manufacture therapeutic proteins-including certain kinds of highly potent antibodies the are naturally difficult to produce-by reprogramming the immune system itself.
The wave-shaped chart Ratul Chowdhury pulls up on a computer monitor in his office captures the evolutionary cat-and-mouse game his research lab is up against.
Viruses are masters at entering human cells, thanks to specialized proteins that coat their surfaces.
According to a study published by investigators at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences, a novel vaccine platform has been created to generate broad, protective immunity against multiple influenza virus infections, demonstrating potential as an effective mucosal vaccination approach.
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine have identified a potential approach to develop longer-lasting vaccines for respiratory viruses such as influenza and the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
A research team led by the Fisabio Foundation has demonstrated that dermcidin, an antimicrobial peptide produced constitutively by the human body, also exhibits antiviral activity against the influenza virus. The study also shows that people who do not develop flu-like symptoms have higher baseline levels of this molecule, which could be associated with lower susceptibility to infection.
According to a new study, the herpes simplex virus partially liquefies the densely packed, gel-like core of human cell nuclei to duplicate itself more quickly.
One of the biggest hurdles in developing an HIV vaccine is coaxing the body to produce the right kind of immune cells and antibodies. In most vaccines, HIV proteins are attached to a larger protein scaffolding that mimics a virus.
The COVID-19 pandemic gave us tremendous perspective on how wildly symptoms and outcomes can vary between patients experiencing the same infection.
Across all domains of life, immune defenses foil invading viruses by making it impossible for the viruses to replicate. Most known CRISPR systems target invading pathogens' DNA and chop it up to disable and modify genes, heading off infections at the (cellular) pass.
Researchers at ETH Zurich have achieved an unprecedented live, high-resolution visualization of influenza virus infection within living cells.
The rapid spread of animal diseases and pathogen evolution have long posed significant threats to the healthy development of animal husbandry.
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