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FEARS OVER SWINE FLU STRAIN RESISTANT TO TAMIFLU DRUG
Tuesday November 17,2009
By Judith Duffy
A STRAIN of swine flu resistant to Tamiflu has been discovered in Scotland, it emerged yesterday.
Two patients were found to have a mutated form of the H1N1 virus which did not respond to the main drug used to tackle the pandemic, raising fears of an untreatable form of the bug spreading this winter.
One victim is from the Lothians area and the other is believed to come from Fife.
Millions of doses of Tamiflu have been stockpiled as a first line of defence against the pandemic.
It was initially given to all suspected sufferers and their contacts but critics warned that trying to contain the outbreak wasted resources and increased the risk of drug resistance.
The World Health Organisation has recorded 45 cases of Tamiflu-resistant swine flu worldwide.
Infections expert Professor Hugh Pennington, of Aberdeen University, said yesterday: ?The worry is that this might spread and cause outbreaks resistant to Tamiflu.?
Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon called it ?a rare occurrence? and ?not of huge concern?. She said: ?We have stockpiles of another anti-viral.?
Tuesday November 17,2009
By Judith Duffy
A STRAIN of swine flu resistant to Tamiflu has been discovered in Scotland, it emerged yesterday.
Two patients were found to have a mutated form of the H1N1 virus which did not respond to the main drug used to tackle the pandemic, raising fears of an untreatable form of the bug spreading this winter.
One victim is from the Lothians area and the other is believed to come from Fife.
Millions of doses of Tamiflu have been stockpiled as a first line of defence against the pandemic.
It was initially given to all suspected sufferers and their contacts but critics warned that trying to contain the outbreak wasted resources and increased the risk of drug resistance.
The World Health Organisation has recorded 45 cases of Tamiflu-resistant swine flu worldwide.
Infections expert Professor Hugh Pennington, of Aberdeen University, said yesterday: ?The worry is that this might spread and cause outbreaks resistant to Tamiflu.?
Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon called it ?a rare occurrence? and ?not of huge concern?. She said: ?We have stockpiles of another anti-viral.?
