SunFluwer…
Just for fun, I thought I’d check in on Australia’s influenza tally again. I posted my last tally 3 days ago (Jan 18) and upon looking today (Jan 21), it’s Read More …
Author: Ian M Mackay, PhD (EIC)
What’s up d̵a̵n̵g̵e̵r̵ Flu?
Influenza is still hammering Australia with unseasonable disrespect. Is this just more testing for flu viruses, or is it a new variant virus? January in Australia is continuing 2018’s out-of-character Read More …
Flu keeps Australia under the weather
Influenza has been unseasonably hyperactive during Australia’s hotter and wetter months at the end of 2018 and the start of 2019. In what’s shaping up to be our biggest summer Read More …
Ebola virus disease (EVD) update: to 01JAN2019
This is a brief Ebola virus disease (EVD) update of the latest number of people infected with, vaccinated against disease due to and killed as a result of, Ebola virus Read More …
MERS-CoV infection without disease: When the coalmine has no canary
Infection by viruses including the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) does not always result in obvious sickness. MERS-CoV infection without disease may simply reflect that a healthy human’s immune Read More …
No, it isn’t time to cede the field to endemic Ebola virus disease in the DRC
A few weeks ago, the Director of the CDC made comments to the mainstream media raising the spectre of endemic Ebola virus disease, or an ongoing, permanent infection in the Read More …
It’s spooky how much the virus linked to “polio-like illness” isn’t coming from immigrants
It’s important to read. Reading is a great way to learn about new things and other people and cultures. It can also help prevent you from opening your mouth and Read More …
Flushing virus surveillance in Ecuador….
Tracking viruses in a community can mean testing lots and lots of people. That can be expensive, require a lot of permissions, approvals, a big and capable laboratory capacity and Read More …
Life after PhD in the medical research hamster wheel…
I got to meet up with some colleagues from my past research life recently. A few different but related things struck me as interesting. These thoughts are filtered through the Read More …
Influenza seasons are unpredictable: deal with it
Mainstream Australian media are reporting that influenza cases in Australia have dropped by 83 per cent. Doctors have also said this is the result of science, guesswork and “a bit Read More …
How many common cold viruses in one place, in one season?
I was recently asked how many common cold viruses are among us at a given time? The short answer is – dozens! In the past, I’ve written a few reviews (for Read More …
During the first 4 weeks of life “common cold” viruses occur frequently and can make your little one sick….
Not much is known about the number of, and the burden due to, virus infections that happen during the very first four weeks of life, called the “neonatal period“. IMPORTED Read More …
Only effective vaccines can protect us from respiratory viruses because we’re us
As winter wraps up in Australia, it’s become quite clear that – barring a very unusual late burst of activity – the 2018 influenza (flu) season has passed Australia by with Read More …
Flu is giving Australia a breather….
August is the traditional Australian peak influenza (flu) month. The peak can move around a bit but it usually flu virus party time, followed in size by September. We’re two-thirds of Read More …
Minding the gap: looking at numbers early in an outbreak
The second Ebola virus disease outbreak of 2018 continues to unfold in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nearly two weeks have passed since the official announcement of the outbreak by Read More …