Direct dose boosts vaccine's efficacy
Delivering flu vaccines directly to the lungs may trigger stronger immunity than injections, meaning smaller doses are needed, say Australian researchers, marking a potentially important discovery because of the demand for vaccines during a pandemic. Tests at the University of Melbourne revealed that lower doses given to sheep using a bronchoscope (a tube inserted into the lungs) provide better protection than a higher dose given by injection. The researchers say delivering the vaccine to the lungs may help reduce the spread of flu by neutralising the virus before it can be exhaled, Reuters reports.
FDA approves genetic flu test
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new genetic test for the flu virus that takes four hours rather than up to four days. Officials from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which helped develop the test, say it's a potential lifesaver, especially in the event of a pandemic of a mutant form of the virus such as bird flu, AP reports
Birth weight linked to breast cancer
Newborn girls who are heavier and longer than average are at greater risk of developing breast cancer later in life, say British researchers, based on an analysis of 32 studies involving more than 600,000 women. As birth weight and particularly length increase, so does the risk of cancer. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine study found that the risk increased by 7 per cent for every 500 grams of birth weight. It's not clear why there should be a link. However the results may help explain why many practices aimed at preventing breast cancer have limited success, Healthday.com reports
