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.

[LibLieSlayer]

You certainly do... GOD bless you!

LLS

[little jeremiah]

The gene or gene segment (or whatever it’s called, I’m a science idiot) is the same as the one in H5N1. Apparently it transferred to seasonal flu, as that particular gene is in some of the strains of H5N1, notably in Egypt. I get my info from Pandemic Information Forum:

http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=5f711be137c713a185b98a2a43267720

[Gondring]

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

I spoke with a physician who said that it's still too early to tell, as what reaches us on the east coast could be very different by the main flu season.

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[Born Conservative]

Same goes for antibiotics. If you take an antibiotic for your cold symptoms, they’ll resolve within 2 weeks; if you don’t, the symptoms will last up to 14 days.