A team at the University of Birmingham reveals that high levels of pollution might have contributed in the increase of death rates in England due to pneumonia between 1996 to 2004.

Published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, the researchers suggested a strong correlation between the two though they said that social factors may also play a role

High levels of pollution from vehicle exhaust fumes and other types of fuel combustion are linked to pneumonia related deaths, according to a study released Tuesday.

Researchers from Birmingham University studied atmospheric emissions in England for the period 1996-2004 and attributed some 4,000 extra pneumonia deaths each year to engine pollution

State health officials said yesterday that four Massachusetts children have died of the flu this month.

The Department of Public Health reports that a 12-year-old girl from Worcester County died Sunday from complications of flu, two days after a 15-year-old died of bacterial flu- related pneumonia. These two recent deaths, however, were healthy children before coming down with the flu. The first two influenza deaths happened in a 6-year-old and a 14-year who had significant underlying medical problems

An additional dose of vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria and pertusis (Tdap) will be required for North Carolina students. The Commission for Public Health authorized the new rules and also designates that all children before enrolling in school, college or university should get a second dose of vaccine for mumps. Immunization rules also encourage additional vaccine coverage for mumps and pertussis or whooping cough.

Most children are vaccinated against whooping cough before going to kindergarten but the immunity declines after 10 years. Outbreaks of mumps still happen in United States and other parts of the world and it was reported that 2006 Iowa and other Midwestern states outbreak begins on a college campus

Health officials warned Washington state residents to be watchful of their health and to get a flu shot if they have not, after a college student in Whatcom County died due to an MRSA pneumonia.

Chris Feden, 20, an engineering student at Western Washington University, died from MRSA pneumonia, a rare and critical infection that he got after having flu