The Scottish Highlands are having a tough time keeping mumps under control, as the area has seen more than 100 reported cases of the disease (103, as of January 24) since December 2010. According to the Herald Scotland, most of the cases involve teenagers or young adults who have not had the recommended two doses of the MMR vaccine (the second dose was added to the…

The world got some promising news about the quest for a universal flu vaccine this week, with scientists from Oxford University successfully testing a vaccine that could be effective against all known strains of the illness. The vaccine uses a new technique that target proteins inside the flu virus, which are common across all strains. If an effective universal vaccine became pervasive, it could prevent pandemics, such as the H1N1 outbreaks in recent years, as well as do away with the need…

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has just released its 2011 Annual Letter from Bill Gates. Much of this letter focuses on the Foundation's commitment to increasing immunization coverage around the world, and it's clear that Mr Gates is a true believer in what he calls "the miracle of vaccines." Here's an excerpt from his letter:

"In the same way that during my Microsoft career I talked about the magic of software, I now spend my time talking about the magic of vaccines.…