Why the current influenza season is a big one…
We wrote a little something on this topic for the Conversation back in November. It may be of interest you in the northern hemisphere. You can read the entire piece, Read More …
Category: Uncategorized
Human respiratory syncytial virus: an example of why calling them many usually outweighs calling them few, or one
Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is a beast of a respiratory virus among infants-a leading cause of their hospitalization. One estimate reported the worldwide infection of 33.8 million infants younger Read More …
Well done Aussies, the people made marriage equality law….its leaders, not so much
While this entire horrible process of “allowing” our LGBQTI community to legally show their dedication to one another in the eyes of the law – the way the rest of Read More …
A cold virus in the blood…
Sometimes, viruses jump – or leak – from where we think they belong, turning up in an unexpected body compartment. We saw it with Ebola virus – it’s now known Read More …
The MERS CoV receptor and areas for new research….
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a respiratory disease of humans. The receptor for the causative coronavirus (CoV) is called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4). DPP4 has a wide tissue distribution and Read More …
MERS CoV accessory proteins interfere with interferon…
This concept (see the paper adjacent and others [6,7]) is not news in the world of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), but it’s interesting to remember in light of Read More …
A look at public reporting of Flu in Australia…
I’ve spent a bit more time on Flu reports this year than in past years, so I thought I might compare the data that the public can see. There are Read More …
Queensland Flu season gives us the cold shoulder…
The latest Flu data, fresh from the excellent Epidemiology Research Unit, Communicable Diseases Branch, Queensland Health, shows the usual post-winter spike (shoulder) in Flu cases and the subsequent plunge thanks Read More …
Flu is bad…in many ways…
A Mum  gives birth to a baby but she is too ill with influenza to know it.[1] As we read another tragic story of the severe impact from disease (in Read More …
The found113….
Back in May of 2016 I received a surprise set of deidentified Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) data. It was a list of the “found113”. This is a very delayed Read More …
Flu outbreak and concurrent deaths in Tasmania…
Okay I don’t want to follow up the last post with another to try and paint a picture that the sky is falling. Influenza (Flu) can kill. That’s my point. Read More …
Flu-associated deaths in Victoria…
I’m not joking around when I say vaccines have been created to reduce the worst of the diseases caused by some infectious nasties. We all know about the success of Read More …
Ebola virus disease over in the DRC….
Another year, another outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) overcome in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the help of a mix of expert local skill and knowledge, isolation Read More …
Korea contamination: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the room..
Remember that MERS-CoV outbreak in South Korea in May 2015? It was the biggest outbreak of MERS-CoV to occur outside the Arabian peninsula, killing 20% of those known to be Read More …