CDC Says Flu Strain Resistant to Tamiflu

The Wall Street Journal ^ | DECEMBER 19, 2008, 2:00 P.M. ET | PETER LOFTUS

[Gondring]

U.S. health authorities alerted doctors Friday that a prevalent strain of the flu is resistant to Roche Holding AG's Tamiflu antiviral drug, and that doctors should add another drug or use an alternative to treat such cases.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention said preliminary data from a limited number of states showed that the prevalence of a type known as influenza A H1N1, some of which are resistant to Tamiflu, is high.

As a result, the CDC is now recommending that patients suspected of having this strain receive GlaxoSmithKline PLC's Relenza antiviral drug, or that patients take a combination of Tamiflu and a generic drug called rimantadine. The use of Tamiflu alone is no longer recommended in such cases. The CDC alert is being sent to doctors and public-health clinics around the country.

[...]

The CDC continues to recommend that people get vaccinated against seasonal flu, and said this year's lot of vaccines should be effective in preventing or reducing the severity of illness with currently circulating viruses.

[Gondring]

I think that Fox News Radio said 98% of the samples were resistant, but it was a small number of samples from 12 states. See the AP story for some more details.

[EBH]

effective in preventing or reducing the severity of illness with currently circulating viruses

I've always thought the vaccine prevented the flu if it was the right vaccine, never been told it reduced severity? Is this the new line in that the vaccines are less effective?

[Cindy]

ping

[EBH]

Ping for the list

[SouthDixie]

I believe a healthy lifestyle including diet results in a healthy immune system. If you live on a diet of soda pop, twinkies, preservatives and fastfood it is a recipe for a unhealthy body.

[KoRn]

****

[chalkfarmer]

Wash*Wash*Wash your hands....and eat food that your own hands prepare!

[IbJensen]

Is this the new line in that the vaccines are less effective?

This is the illegal alien influx: the gift that keeps on giving.

Thank el presidente Bush for his leadership in the illegally crossed border issue. Now we have more bed bugs, lice, whooping cough and other plagues we thought had been eradicated, but our unwanted 'guests' just keep jumping over the border like Mexican jumping beans.

[LibLieSlayer]

... and even then you can become ill... walk through a sneeze... just breathing in air at a mall... all we can do is try.

LLS

[SouthDixie]

I agree, I rarely eat in restaurants and alway use a debit card or cheques because the exchange of currency passes through many nasty hands.

[RC one]

As we say in the medical community, the flu lasts for about 7 days if left untreated or about a week if treated.

[omega4179]

tamiflu is an antiviral not a vaccine. in other words its a useless placebo.

[angkor]

>>>Now we have more bed bugs, lice, whooping cough and other plagues <<<<<<

And TB.

BTW, whatever happened to that report about a year ago that TB was becoming prevalent again in cities and communities that have large “undocumented immigrant” populations (possibly! maybe! only guessing! don’t worry about it!).

[EBH]

I know what tamiflu is, but that is NOT what the paragraph in question said.

[EBH]

The CDC continues to recommend that people get vaccinated against seasonal flu, and said this year’s lot of vaccines should be effective in preventing or reducing the severity of illness with currently circulating viruses.

[Smokin' Joe]

ping...

[chalkfarmer]

I teach middle school....and walk through the valley of death!

[chalkfarmer]

I never eat in restaurants. I’ve never seen food as a form of entertainment. My husband is a wonderful cook...makes me proud to do the dishes!

[BellStar]

It did not say in this story if we were given the correct Flu Shot this year?