HEALTH BEAT.

• Position: Universal influenza vaccine, Lyme disease and football

To develop a universal influenza vaccine, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is focusing resources on three areas of research: improving the understanding of the transmission, natural history, and pathogenesis of influenza infection; precisely characterizing how protective immunity occurs and how to tailor vaccination responses to achieve it; and supporting the rational design of universal vaccines, including new immunogens and adjuvants to boost immunity and extend the duration of protection.

Lyme disease, which is estimated to affect more than 300,-000 individuals a year in this country, is the subject of a video series by PatientTalk.com. It contains stories from patients, caregivers, and medical personnel concerning all stages of the illness--from early localized infection to late-stage Lyme, which is difficult to diagnose and even harder to treat. Patients speak candidly about how they cope with their disease and its myriad symptoms as well as the considerable social and financial impact that comes with living with this difficult chronic condition.

Negative attention in recent years has notched a few chinks in the National Football League's armor. The league has become embroiled in controversy over on-field social justice protests, while another major thorn in the NFL's side is the ongoing revelations of a link between head trauma in football and incurable brain disease. Parents are having second thoughts about letting their children play the sport: participation in tackle football has dropped significantly at the little league and high school levels. "If social mood trends negatively, it will likely expose football to more scandalous revelations," says Chuck Thompson, senior analyst at the Socionomics Institute, Gainesville, Ga. "One area to keep an eye on is football equipment vendors and manufacturers. They could get hit with some big lawsuits."

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for...