Today the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil) for the treatment of flu in patients ages 12 years and older who have been symptomatic for no more than 48 hours.
Xofluza is the first novel flu treatment approved by the FDA in nearly 20 years; the FDA approved the neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir and zanamivir in 1999.
In avian flu outbreak developments, the United States reported the detection of low-pathogenic H5N2 in a Minnesota turkey flock and Laos reported a highly pathogenic H5N1 outbreak in backyard birds.
Flu vaccination during pregnancy may cut a woman's chance of hospitalization by 40%.
A phase 1 trial of a broadly protective flu vaccine shows promise in people, Fierce Pharma reported yesterday.
Cell culture–based inactivated influenza vaccine (ccIIV) was not significantly more effective than egg-based IIV (ebIIV) against influenza A during the 2017-18 flu season, according to new data presented at IDWeek that have not been peer reviewed.
During a 4-day pause of fighting in an ongoing conflict, 306,000 Yemenis, including 164,000 children under the age of 15, were vaccinated with the cholera vaccine, according to an update today from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) today recorded a new case of MERS-CoV for epidemiologic week 40, which is this week.
A 49-year-old man from Najran was diagnosed as having MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus). The MOH said the man was hospitalized and likely exposed to the virus in a community setting. He had not reported recent contact with camels, a known risk factor.
As the Southern Hemisphere's flu season winds down, disease levels in temperate South American and southern Africa countries decreased or have peaked in recent weeks, according to the latest global flu update from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The experts also called for 3 new pandemic candidate vaccine viruses.
Flu vaccine uptake in UK seniors has been high in recent flu seasons, but vaccine effectiveness (VE) has been modest in this age-group and the vaccine has been ineffective against the most severe strain, according to a study today in Eurosurveillance.
