More than 130 elderly Japanese have died this winter after battling influenza infections, reports the Health and Welfare Ministry. But if you are traveling to Japan, you should ask your physician for the latest vaccine, which offers at least partial protection from the virus. Make sure it is administered one week prior to your trip. The surface of flu viruses constantly change, making a wholly effective vaccine impossible to develop. But avoiding crowds, keeping warm and drinking liquids will help stave off infection.
Flu viruses are airborne and lodge themselves in nasal passageways.
Vulnerability to infections may be inherited, according to a recent issue of Britain's The Lancet. But in some people this same bacteria causes severe blood diseases that often lead to death. To find out, researchers at Holland's University Hospital Leiden examined relatives of patients who died from meningococcal infections. Their white blood cells were exposed to a toxin that triggers the release of proteins that affect the immune system's response to infection. The researchers found that the relatives of the deceased had very low levels of immune-system booster proteins and very high levels of proteins that inhibit immunity.