The Checkup Archive: Influenza

Is That Right? Onions and garlic fight swine flu?

Soldiers serving the small former Soviet country Moldova are being fed extra garlic and onions in hopes that those foods will help fend off swine flu. Is that really likely to help keep them healthy? The Associated Press reports that 24 out of 6,500 Moldovan soldiers have come down with...

That lingering cough

Don't think I don't see you glaring at me. Yes, those are my kids, coughing up a storm. And, yes, if they were your kids, I'd be glaring at you. I wish I could hang big signs around my son's and daughter's necks saying "No longer contagious -- we think."...

H1N1 vaccine: One big confusing mess

There are plenty of reasons to get upset about the H1N1 influenza situation. Over-optimistic projections of vaccine supply have given way to acknowledgements that by the time the vaccine is widely available, this wave of H1N1 infection may well be over. There have been scary reports about otherwise-healthy kids and...

Cat catches swine flu

Does the swine flu pandemic pose a threat to your pet? Yes, according to a report out today from the American Veterinary Medical Association. A cat in Iowa has tested positive for the H1N1 virus, state officials confirmed this morning, "marking the first time a cat has been diagnosed with...

Sneezes spread paranoia

During these days of swine flu fears, common sneezes and coughs are spreading more than just colds and the flu. They're spreading paranoia, according to new research. University of Michigan psychologist Spike Lee and colleagues decided to test whether people's fears of sneezes and coughs spilled over into other areas....

Spreading swine flu

People may be able to spread swine flu even after their symptoms have subsided, according to new research. A study of Air Force cadets who came down with the flu this summer found that a significant proportion of them were still "shedding" virus more than 24 hours after their fever...

Older Entries in This Category »

Getting Guys to Wash Their Hands, Rob Stein , October 15, 2009

Added Bonus from Seasonal Flu Shots?, Rob Stein , October 8, 2009

Using the Web to Diagnose Swine Flu, Rob Stein , October 7, 2009

Pregnant Women and the Flu, Rob Stein , October 1, 2009

What Do You Eat When You've Got the Flu?, Jennifer LaRue Huget , September 22, 2009

Hand-Washing How-To, Jennifer LaRue Huget , May 1, 2009

How Are You Preparing for Swine Flu?, Amy Adkins , April 27, 2009

Young People Felled by Flu, Jennifer LaRue Huget , March 2, 2009