Respiratory Infections News

This is the second respiratory disease season with two new powerful tools to protect infants from severe respiratory syncytial virus disease, and experts are optimistic that uptake will improve from last season.

The threat from bird flu remains low for the general public, the CDC reiterated last week in an update related to a human case in Missouri with no exposure to infected animals.

Vaccination reduced influenza-related hospitalizations by around one-third in the Southern Hemisphere this year, according to interim data published Thursday by the CDC.

Older adults’ risk for death when hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus is higher than it is for influenza B but similar to influenza A, according to a study.

The investigational antiviral ziresovir showed promise for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants during a phase 3 trial in China, researchers reported in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Hospital overcrowding accounted for roughly 20% of COVID-19 deaths even when vaccines and other therapeutics became available, highlighting the importance of managing case surges during public health crises, according to an expert.

The FDA on Friday approved the first ever influenza vaccine that does not have to be given by a health care professional.

Almost one-third of people do not plan on receiving recommended vaccinations this fall, according to the results of a recent survey from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

The antiviral molnupiravir modestly reduces the risk for severe symptoms of COVID-19 and may also reduce the risk for long COVID, according to a randomized controlled trial.

A household contact of a person in Missouri confirmed to be infected with H5 avian influenza began exhibiting symptoms of infection on the same day but was not tested for the virus, the CDC said.