Active clinical trials for "Influenza, Human"

The identification and characterization of susceptibility loci for H5N1 infection in humans could have profound implications. The detection of host genetic factors may shed light on key pathogenic interactions between H5N1 and human cells, assisting in identifying the viral characteristics determining pandemic potential. In addition, the identification and verification of susceptibility loci would be followed by functional studies which might point the way to new therapeutic and preventive options. The objective of this study is to investigate if host genetic factors are associated with susceptibility to influenza H5N1 illness

As recommended by the Dutch Health Council, certain risk groups and health care workers in The Netherlands were vaccinated to prevent morbidity due to pandemic influenza A/H1N1. Adults were vaccinated twice with the monovalent influenza A/California/2009(H1N1) MF59-adjuvanted surface-antigen vaccine Focetria® (Novartis). The vaccination campaign was executed by general practitioners. The aim of the study is to verify whether HIV-infected individuals generate an adequate immune response after the first and after the second vaccination.

The purpose of this study is to see if people in China who have contact with someone infected with bird flu (H5N1) become infected themselves without necessarily getting sick. Adults and children greater than 1 year of age who have contact with someone infected with bird flu may participate in the study. At the first 1-2 study visits, a blood sample will be taken from volunteers in order to test for antibodies, the part of the blood that fights infection. If the result of the H5N1 antibody test is positive after the 1st or 2nd study visit, an additional blood sample will be collected during a 3rd and 4th study visit. Volunteers will be asked questions about their work, home life, and possible contact with poultry, other birds, animals, and people infected with bird flu. Participants will be involved in study related procedures for up to 90 days.

Pregnant women have limited knowledge regarding influenza, its implications during pregnancy, and recommendations for vaccination during pregnancy. The researchers plan to distribute an information pamphlet to women in a prenatal clinic, offer the vaccine during prenatal visits, and then give a questionnaire on the postpartum floor assessing knowledge. The researchers hypothesize that with education intervention, knowledge scores on the questionnaire will be higher than those from last year, when no education was provided.

An influenza pandemic has recently been declared, involving the novel A(H1N1) 'swine flu' virus. This has spread to almost 100 countries worldwide in less than two months, causing widespread disease so far in Mexico, USA and Canada. It is highly likely that over the next 12 months, many countries including the UK will be affected by widespread illness. In the UK this wave of intense flu activity is most likely to occur in late autumn 2009. Very little is known about the new H1N1 pandemic virus. For example we do not know how long the virus is excreted by infected humans and how much virus is spread to surfaces and carried in the air. This is very important to know as soon as possible because it affects the advice that will be given to healthcare workers about controlling the spread of infection to themselves and other patients. Similarly we need this information so we can give good quality advice to families who will have to look after each other in their own homes. The best way to obtain this information is to ask patients who get pandemic flu soon (in August, September and October) to help us by agreeing to give a daily nose swab sample for just over one week so we can see how much virus is in the nose day by day and how quickly this disappears. At the same time we will take samples from hard surfaces in a patient's room or home and sample the air using a special filter device. We can then work out how much virus is being excreted, how long the 'danger period' is, whether surfaces are more or less important than the air that we breathe (in terms of catching the virus) and if we can advise on a 'safe distance' from the patient, beyond which there is relatively little chance of catching the illness.

This 5-year study was designed to investigate how antibody and T cell responses following influenza vaccine compare among lung transplant patients, patients waiting for lung transplantation, and healthy individuals.

The aims of the study are to a) identify individuals with a poor response to influenza vaccination and b) identify factors associated with a poor response to influenza vaccination.

Background: - The flu is a very infectious and contagious virus that affects both people and pigs. Studies show that pigs can be sources of the flu virus in humans. Researchers want to know more about how the flu is transmitted from animals to people. If they know more about it, they can find better ways to prevent the flu and treat people who get sick from it. Objective: - To discover if flu viruses can be found in people exposed to pigs at Ohio agricultural fairs. Eligibility: - Volunteers 8 years of age and older who exhibit pigs at Ohio agricultural fairs. Design: Before or on the first day of the fair, participants will fill out a short demographic and medical history form. They will also complete a two-page symptom questionnaire. This is a form that asks them about any flu symptoms they might have. Participants will have a nasal swab performed. The inside of the participant s nose will be rubbed with a swab to collect nasal fluid. Researchers will see participants 2 days later and 4 days later. During these visits, participants will again fill out a symptom questionnaire and have a nasal swab.

There is no standardized method for evaluating the symptoms of influenza. A standardized instrument for measuring influenza symptoms, with appropriate scientifically derived content and construct validity would have value for public health in terms of use as a validated outcome measure in interventions to treat or prevent influenza. The instrument also could serve as part of an overall measure of severity of illness in influenza. Previous efforts in participant reported outcomes (PRO) for influenza (i.e. Flu-PRO Stage I and Stage II) focused on the elicitation and evaluation of items for inclusion in the instrument. The overarching objective of this protocol - Flu-PRO Stage III - is to conduct instrument validation to evaluate item properties and, if need be, reduce the number of items, and quantitatively validate the performance of the final measure.

The Sanofi Pasteur Fluzone Intradermal Quadrivalent vaccine (Fluzone QIV-ID) Pregnancy Registry will be a prospectively recruited pregnancy surveillance program designed to collect to collect and analyze information on vaccine exposures, pregnancy outcomes, and fetal and offspring outcomes on pregnant women exposed to Fluzone QIV-ID vaccine.