FitSugar

Universal Flu Vaccine on the Horizon?

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:45:35 PST

A little cold I can handle, even a sinus infection, but the flu? I don't remember ever feeling as bad as I did the week I came down with the flu. I was so delirious from my 103° fever, and combined with the chills, body aches, and pounding headache, it was just unbearable. To prevent feeling that horrible every year, I make sure to head to my doctor's office for a flu shot, but it doesn't always work since it doesn't protect against all strains. So when I read that UK researchers may have created a universal flu shot, I became quite hopeful.

This vaccine is different from current flu vaccines because it targets the proteins inside the flu virus rather than the proteins on the external coat. These interior proteins are similar across all strains of the flu and less likely to mutate, so this one vaccine could be used to prevent all types of flu. Another difference is that this new treatment helps boost the production of T-cells which can identify, attack, and kill infected cells. So it's much more effective than today's vaccine that just stimulates the body to produce antibodies to fight the flu. If this new vaccine is successful, it could prevent future nasty outbreaks like the swine flu and H1N1.

I don't know about you, but it'd be a huge relief during cold and flu season to get one shot and know I'd never have to suffer in bed surrounded by snotty tissues again.

Do You Talk Sex With Your Mom?

TresSugar — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 05:00:32 PST

A study came out that found young women who chatted with their mothers about the HPV vaccine were more likely to get it than those who didn't. While there are other factors involved, including the cost of the three-shot preventative procedure, it does bring up the issue of how our relationships with our mothers affect our decisions and behaviors, even as young adults and beyond.

We always see the PSAs on parents talking with their children and teens about the dangers of drugs, drunk driving, and unprotected sex, but what happens when you grow up? Once you reached adulthood, did you find discussions about hot topics like sex with your mom easier or more difficult? Maybe when you were young it was easier since it was more hypothetical, and now neither of you wants the visuals associated with knowing each other's sex lives. Or maybe you have an open relationship with your mom, so discussing issues like STDs and safe sex is the norm.

With all the communication hurdles that can exist in mother-daughter relationships, like popularity, weight, and dating, is sex one of them?

Do You Plan on Getting Vaccinated Against Swine Flu?

FitSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:00:11 PDT

This past Spring, the swine flu scare broke out, and, although it seems to have lost momentum, many folks are still nervous about getting the H1N1 virus. Children, healthcare workers, those who work closely with kids, and pregnant women are the ones who are most at risk, but anyone can develop swine flu. With colder weather on its way and flu season soon to follow, I'm wondering . . .

Yeast Infection Vaccine?

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:00:00 PDT

If you've ever had to deal with the annoyance of a yeast infection, then you might be interested to know a vaccine to prevent them is in the works. Early lab tests of the vaccine performed on mice have been successful.

Female mice were given one of several variations of the vaccine, and then were exposed to a lethal dose of Candida albicans, the fungus responsible for yeast infections. Another group of female mice were given a placebo vaccine to create a control group. The mice who received the yeast infection vaccine had a 40 to 100 percent survival rate, while the control group sadly all died. I'm not sure why they had to give them a "lethal dose" of this fungus (since I wouldn't say a typical yeast infection is deadly - just horribly uncomfortable), but it seems that the vaccine has worked.

Tell me ladies, once this becomes safe for humans, would you get a vaccine to prevent yeast infections?

Source

Fight Cancer With Tobacco?

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:30:00 PDT

We all know that using tobacco products is a sure way to be on the road to asthma, emphysema, and lung cancer. New research, putting a kind of reverse engineering twist to that carcinogenic scenario, is using tobacco to fight cancer. Scientists at Stanford University are manipulating the tobacco plant to make as a vaccine to fight a type of lymphatic cancer. Once injected, the personalized vaccine prompts the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. So far the technique has been used on 16 cancer patients. Not only was it safe, but 70 percent of the patients' immune systems responded to this tobacco vaccine.

It's pretty ironic to use tobacco to fight cancer, but apparently vaccines made from plants are far less expensive than those made using animal cells. Let's hope this is a breakthrough in the fight against cancer.

Source

Mumps Making a Comeback

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:00:00 PDT

Most American children are vaccinated for the mumps when they are little with a two-shot series for measles-mumps-rubella. Unfortunately, that vaccine may not be cutting it, because so far 6,600 people (many of whom did receive the vaccine when they were children) have come down with a case of the mumps. For some reason, it's hitting college students the most, ages 18 to 24. This disease is spread through respiratory secretions and saliva, explaining why it seems to be targeting college students, since they share drinks, utensils, and (sorry Mother, but it is true) are experimenting sexually. Mumps can cause a whole slew of long term health problems like deafness, viral meningitis, and testicle inflammation, which can cause sterility.

This mumps virus is a relatively new strain, and it's believed to be spread by travelers or students from the United Kingdom. The mumps vaccine is voluntary there, and since many countries don't vaccinate against mumps at all, it's likely that an epidemic could arise in the future. Doctors are considering if a third dose of the vaccine may be necessary, but only for college students, since not everyone is at risk.

Source

Should Boys Shoulder the Burden, Too?

DearSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:00:00 PST

A weekend New York Times article is still on my mind. It alerted readers to the possibility of Gardasil - the much talked about HPV vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer - being administered to young boys as further protection for females. It's widely known that men can carry the virus without any knowledge of it, leading to easy and inadvertent exposure to their partners. According to the article:

By 2009, the vaccine could be approved for boys as well. Although Gardasil also protects against genital warts, which are not life threatening, the primary reason to extend approval to boys would be to slow the rates of cervical cancer. Public health folks charmlessly call this “herd immunity.”

While I have my own reservations about newly released vaccines and drugs, I find the idea of boys taking responsibility for sexually related concerns refreshing. What are your thoughts? Do you think boys should shoulder the burden, too?

Source

What's the Deal With the Cervical Cancer Vaccine?

DearSugar — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 13:00:53 PST

Have you heard about Gardasil? It's a vaccine that prevents cervical cancer, but it only protects you against the type that is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), the same HPV that causes genital warts.

First off, let me tell you a little bit about HPV. It's an STI that can be transmitted through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It can manifest itself in flesh-colored warts that show up one to eight months after you become infected. However, some people infected with HPV have no symptoms at all, which means they could pass it on without even knowing it. Now that's just scary.

Aside from causing genital warts, if a woman has HPV and it doesn't go away on its own, it's possible that the virus can cause abnormal cells to develop in the lining of her cervix. If not discovered early and treated, these abnormal cells can turn into cervical cancer.

So what's the deal with the Gardasil vaccine? To find out

read more If you get vaccinated with Gardasil, it will only help to protect you against four types of HPV (types 6, 11, 16, 18). These types are linked to 70 percent of cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital warts, but the vaccine won't prevent all types of cervical cancer or genital warts. Also, you should know that taking this vaccine isn't a cure if you've already been diagnosed with genital warts or cervical cancer. It can be given to girls as young as nine years old, and any woman can get the vaccine if she is sexually active and feels at risk. Dear's Advice: If you are not in a monogamous relationship with someone you know is HPV-free, getting Gardasil may be a good idea for you. Talk to your doctor about it, and be sure to see your gyno for regular cervical cancer screenings. Source

Take a Shot at 6 Quizzes That Teach You About Dog Shots

PetSugar — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:18:01 PDT

It can seem - especially to your budget - that doggies require endless vaccinations. Still do you know what they're being safeguarded against? Take these quizzes about six diseases that pups commonly get protected for to see if you're a shot-calling expert.

Quiz: Parvovirus	Quiz: Hepatitis	Quiz: Distemper
Quiz: Rabies	Quiz: H3N8	Quiz: Coronavirus

Survey Finds Most Parents Still Uneasy About Vaccinations

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:16:11 PDT

Parents are taking their kids in for "a little pinch," but they aren't happy about it. According to a study just released today, 95 percent of US children receive the recommended vaccines (on schedule), but 77 percent of parents are still uncomfortable with the shots. More than a year after the link between autism and vaccines was debunked, many parents are still voicing concern over the safety of the ingredients used in the vaccines. Other issues parents raised include the complexity of the immunization schedule, pain from the injection, and the number of shots tots get in one sitting.

Even if you follow the CDC's vaccination schedule, are you nervous about it?