Tamiflu no longer works for dominant flu strain....

LA Times ^ | Feb 4th, 2009 | Mary Engel

[TaraP]

U.S. health officials say almost 100% of the type A H1N1 strain showed resistance to the leading antiviral drug. So far, the influenza season has been mild.

Tamiflu, the most commonly used influenza antiviral and the mainstay of the federal government's emergency drug stockpile, no longer works for the dominant flu strain circulating in much of the country, government officials said Tuesday.

Of samples tested since October, almost 100% of the strain -- known as type A H1N1 -- showed resistance to Tamiflu.

In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines to physicians in December. Doctors were told to substitute an alternative antiviral, Relenza, for Tamiflu, or to combine Tamiflu with an older antiviral, rimantadine, if the H1N1 virus was the main strain circulating in their communities.

Each flu season, several types of flu viruses circulate, and various ones can dominate in different regions and times. Only the H1N1 virus is showing signs of Tamiflu resistance, CDC officials said, speaking at an influenza conference in Washington. Other flu viruses currently circulating are not Tamiflu-resistant.

[TaraP]

This was from today of reuters.

GENEVA (Reuters) - No evidence has yet emerged that suggests the World Health Organization should raise its pandemic alert to the highest level due to a swine flu outbreak, a senior WHO official said on Thursday. Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, told reporters that Switzerland’s Roche Holding AG has indicated it was stepping up production of its antiviral Tamiflu to deal with the infection.

Known generically as oseltamivir, the drug has proven effective against the new strain.

Fukuda said the United Nations agency has released some of its own Tamiflu stockpiles to the developing countries deemed most in need, including Mexico.

On Wednesday, the WHO raised its pandemic alert level to Phase 5, indicating a global outbreak was imminent. That is a notch below the agency’s highest alert level.

“Today that evidence holds steady,” Fukuda told reporters.

The new H1N1 strain first emerged in Mexico and has killed up to 176 people there, according to Mexican authorities.

WHO laboratories have so far identified a smaller number of infections in Mexico. Fukuda said the WHO has confirmed 97 cases in Mexico and seven deaths, and 236 total infections worldwide

[anniegetyourgun]

The source of swine flu has been determined:

[east1234]

Not really, very low death rate for it, flu kills a whole more people. That author of the article comes off as slightly hysterical.

[MarMema]

Russia has them.

[east1234]

Tamiflu is not a vaccine, it's an anti-viral medication. All meds have side effects, including death. Note that flu causes high fevers that can cause hallucination, etc. I wouldn't blame suicides on Tamiflu.

[Petronski]

Imagine, stockpiling an influenza vaccine, when you know the next influenza outbreak won’t be treatable with it.

Who knew in advance it wouldn't work?

[TaraP]

Ok...I din’t see any cases on the map....

[MarMema]

Well heck, last night I read there was a case in Moscow but now I don’t see anything. So I don’t know.

[TaraP]

I don’t know? How many people go to the DR for the flu?

I had some bad bouts of the Flu in my lifetime and never went to the doctor, stayed in bed took aspirin drank fluids and in a couple days it was gone...

[2nd amendment mama]

Did you look at the date of that article, November 26, 2005? Maybe they’ve changed the formula since then.

[Mom MD]

The dominant strain circulating this winter is resistant to Tamiflu, that has been known for months. The last official statements I have received on swine flu (just this AM) state it IS sensitive to Tamiflu. Someone has their definitions mixed up.

[DoughtyOne]

Influenza changes from year to year. Thus it is somewhat silly to stockpile a product to combat influenza for a period of time. Yesterday the government release a large fraction of the stockpile. Now, since there haven’t been deaths, what happens when the stockpile is gone and the real thing comes along. If they are thinking it will help, then why release the stockpile now, no deaths.

There are several problems with all of this. It just seems strange to me, the thinking behind all this.

[adm5]

Natural non-prescription alternatives to pharm-manufactured pills for keeping one’s immune system healthy:

1 Multi-Vitamin per day
Vitamin A (I curently take 10,000iu/daily)
Vitamin C (I currently take 2,000iu/daily)
Vitamin D (I currently take 2,000iu/daily)

Also, if you start feeling flu-ey, and can’t get a prescription for Tamiflu, Sambucol can be found at your natural health food store - It is just a brandname of black elderberry. It comes in either a syrup or tablets that you let dissolve in your mouth.

Disclaimer: Talk to your doctor about the suitability of any vitamins/supplements regarding risk, specific dosages, etc

[SuperLuminal]

bttt

[dfc1]

Dated Feb. 17, 2009

http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/tamiflu-provides-all-round-prevention-from-the-influenza-virus-774629.html

Scroll down to side effects... risk of seizures, abnormal behavior, convulsions, etc. Same side effects as four years ago. It might not kill me, but I don’t want to have abnormal behavior anymore than I already do. lol

Thanks, adm5, for the info. I take 4000 mgs. of Vitamin C a day as my doctor suggested several
years ago. It helps my immune system and brought my cholesteral levels back to normal. I also take B vitamins and magnesium. I will check out the Sambucol at my health food store.

[Doogle]

just saying.....

[Grampa Dave]

Someone made some money doing what you said.