Pittvax

The continued need for advances in influenza vaccine research has been highlighted with the recent outbreak of the H7N9 avian influenza virus in China. Since October 2016 it has killed over 600 people and infected 1600 others. Read more here.

A deadly strain of bird flu could cause the next global health crisis A new strain of bird flu has killed one-third of infected people.

Sydney University researchers have found that individuals with influenza are 17 times more likely to suffer a heart attack during the week following their illness. These findings highlight the importance of receiving a flu vaccine every year. Read more here.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/risk-heart-attack-spikes-flu-pneumonia-study-180355104.html

Risk of heart attack spikes after flu, pneumonia: study Coming down with the flu, bronchitis or pneumonia can dramatically raise the risk of a heart attack -- up to 17-fold -- in the days and weeks following the infection, researchers said Monday. The findings confirm earlier research that pointed to an apparent link between respiratory infection and car...

Dr. Flavia Bustreo of the World Health Organization has recently published a commentary urging people to focus on the facts regarding vaccination rather than the myths. Immunization is still the safest and most effective way for us to protect ourselves against infectious diseases. Read more here.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/commentaries/2017/embrace-facts-vaccines/en/

Embrace the facts about vaccines, not the myths Vaccines are available but myths around them discourage parents from immunizing their children. We need to bust myths and promote the benefits of immunization more widely.

A recently published study by the PittVax Research team at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Family Medicine found that Tdap vaccination rates could be increased in primary care practices using the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program. The intervention included the 4 Pillars™ program plus staff education and coaching of an office immunization champion. Read more here.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27576073

Using the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program to increase adult Tdap immunization in a randomized controlled cluster trial. - PubMed - NCBI Vaccine. 2016 Sep 22;34(41):5026-33. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.07.053. Epub 2016 Aug 26.

Investigators at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have recently discovered a type of immune antibody that can destroy 18 different influenza virus strains including some strains to which the body has not been exposed. Read more here.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160913120757.htm

Antibody discovery could help create improved flu vaccines Investigators report that they have discovered a type of immune antibody that can rapidly evolve to neutralize a wide array of influenza virus strains – including those the body hasn’t yet encountered.

CDC awards Pitt team $5.5 million to continue flu-vaccine work A Pittsburgh research team that helps shape the annual flu vaccines has landed a $5.5 million federal grant to continue the work, at least for five more years. The award renewal from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stems from the “high productivity” of the Vaccination Research...