We’ve made no secret of our enthusiasm for the vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. To help you find locations near you for obtaining both the seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine, Google has developed a feature for the US called the flu shot finder at www.google.com/flushot. Google notes on their blog that this …
Influenza virus may be transmitted among humans in three ways: by direct contact with infected individuals; by contact with contaminated objects (called fomites, such as toys, doorknobs); and by inhalation of virus-laden aerosols. The contribution of each mode to overall transmission of influenza is not known. But something that most of us touch on a …
Influenza virus is infectious for days on banknotes Read More »
The title of this post should not come as a surprise to readers of virology blog – it was shown in 1974 that zinc could interfere with replication of rhinoviruses (see “Zinc and the common cold“). I am referring to the result of my first experiment to study the mechanism of zinc inhibition – something …
Why is the incidence of infection with 2009 H1N1 influenza highest among 5-24 year olds, and lowest in those over 65 years of age? Were the oldsters previously infected with a related influenza virus, or is there another explanation? The sera of individuals born in the early part of the 20th century have antibodies that …
Being older is a good defense against 2009 H1N1 influenza virus Read More »
“Do Women Need Such Big Flu Shots?” suggests that we would have more doses of influenza 2009 H1N1 vaccine if we accounted for the biological differences between men and women. The idea is that women generate a stronger antibody response than men, and therefore require less vaccine. Does this idea have scientific support? The opinion …
Do women need the same amount of influenza vaccine as men? Read More »
My interminable 2.5 hour commute this morning was made tolerable by listening to the Quackcast #35 from Mark Crislip, “Flu vaccine efficacy and 18 taradiddles”. In this excellent and highly recommended episode, Dr. Crislip addresses the contention that the influenza virus vaccine is worthless. To make it even easier for you to listen to this …
