Could Measles virus and Ebola virus be working together in the DRC?

Measles, resulting from measles virus (MeV) infection can cause immune suppression and “immune amnesia”. MeV infection most often affects non-immune children but can occur in any age group. Immune suppression Read More ...

The 2019 Flunami was more than just increased testing

The Flunami (see a definition here before you decide upon your own dear reader) has been a rising tide of influenza cases. It was more than just increased testing though. Read More ...

#Flunami2019: Australia’s biggest confirmed flu count on record

For those who love a good multiple of 1,000, or enjoy drooling over the passing of a historical threshold, yesterday was such a day for influenza (flu) counts in Australia. Read More ...

Every flu season is a soup of viruses

Posted onJune 6, 2019July 4, 20196 Comments

It may surprise some to know that influenza isn’t caused by just one “flu virus”. There are multiple flu viruses which can all cause the flu and they are around Read More …

An influenza virus is the sum of its parts

Posted onMay 30, 2019May 31, 2019Leave a comment

The influenza viruses are a bit different from other viruses that infect and affect our respiratory tract. Their genetic material – the stuff that acts as the blueprint to make Read More …

The Australian Flunami rolls on

Posted onMay 18, 2019August 5, 2019Leave a comment

Flu. What the heck are you doing? Since November 2018 – traditionally a time of influenza decline as the winter season wanes to a baseline level – you’ve been causing Read More …

Portrait of uncontrolled Ebola

Posted onMay 13, 2019May 15, 2019Leave a comment

The latest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak has been a slow burn in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the first official report in July 2018. With the wonderful Read More …

More confirmed Ebola deaths than cases?

Posted onMay 7, 2019May 7, 2019Leave a comment

A strange number pattern has appeared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Ministry of Health (MOH) Ebola virus disease (EVD) Reports for a couple of the affected health Read More …

Influenza vaccine protection in adults: it’s better than you think

Posted onApril 19, 2019April 20, 2019Leave a comment

It seems like every year we’re told that the timespan for which influenza (flu) vaccination provides us immunity is a little shorter. In the next few posts, I’ll have a Read More …

SNAPDATE: Measles in Australia

Posted onApril 18, 2019April 18, 20191 Comment

Measles in Australia is having a bumper year. But it hasn’t been such a good year for those who have not yet been vaccinated by necessity (younger than 9-12 months) Read More …

SNAPDATE: Flu in Australia to 15th April 2019

Posted onApril 15, 2019May 18, 2019Leave a comment

A snap update of the current laboratory-confirmed numbers of influenza-infected people in Australia as we move to halfway through the autumn month April in the southern hemisphere. As can be Read More …

Aluminium and you

Posted onApril 12, 2019April 12, 2019Leave a comment

Aluminium (aluminum if you’re from North America) is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust and the third most abundant element of the planet.[1,37] Compounds containing aluminium are also Read More …

Measles hot spots all over Australia

Posted onApril 5, 2019April 9, 2019Leave a comment

Overnight, New South Wales announced another two cases of measles bringing its total “since Christmas” to 30 cases.[1] Today Queensland announced another two as well. But perhaps more worrying is Read More …

Virology Down Under

Facts, data, info, expert opinion and a reasonable, occasionally grumpy, voice on viruses: what they are, how they tick and the illnesses they may cause.

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