Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24396510-662,00.html
Flu becoming more resistant to silver bullet
Article from: The Daily Telegraph
September 25, 2008 03:38am
THE influenza virus has become resistant to Tamiflu - one of only two medicines that can treat the illness - raising questions about a $184 million Government stockpile of the drug.
The World Health Organisation, which monitors the flu virus, has found 31 per cent of cases of the A(H1N1) strain of flu was resistant to Tamiflu this year, up from 16 per cent of cases last year.
There are three main strains of human influenza circulating in the world and A(H1N1)is one of them.
In Australia this year 100 per cent of the 10 cases of A(H1N1) virus that were sampled and tested were resistant to the drug.
The Federal Government has stockpiled millions of doses of Tamiflu in case of an outbreak of the deadly bird flu H5N1, a different virus to the more common flu.
Eighty per cent of the Government's $243 million stockpile is made up of Tamiflu and 20 per cent is made up of Relenza and the drugs are due to begin reaching their expiry dates in the next few months.
The Government set aside more money in the May Budget to replenish the stockpile.
CSIRO scientist Jennifer McKimm-Breschkin, who helped develop rival flu drug Relenza, is part of an international body that monitors drug resistance globally.
She told The Daily Telegraph the developing resistance to Tamiflu should prompt the Government to review its stockpile.
"This new research offers a good opportunity for the Government to alter the balance in the stockpile,' Dr McKimm-Breschkin said.
Dr McKimm-Breschkin said testing had shown the common flu virus was still fully sensitive to Relenza, the only other medication that can be used to treat the flu.
But Roche, the drug company that manufactures Tamiflu, says Relenza has never been used in the treatment of bird flu and cannot be used on children aged under five.
Flu becoming more resistant to silver bullet
Article from: The Daily Telegraph
September 25, 2008 03:38am
THE influenza virus has become resistant to Tamiflu - one of only two medicines that can treat the illness - raising questions about a $184 million Government stockpile of the drug.
The World Health Organisation, which monitors the flu virus, has found 31 per cent of cases of the A(H1N1) strain of flu was resistant to Tamiflu this year, up from 16 per cent of cases last year.
There are three main strains of human influenza circulating in the world and A(H1N1)is one of them.
In Australia this year 100 per cent of the 10 cases of A(H1N1) virus that were sampled and tested were resistant to the drug.
The Federal Government has stockpiled millions of doses of Tamiflu in case of an outbreak of the deadly bird flu H5N1, a different virus to the more common flu.
Eighty per cent of the Government's $243 million stockpile is made up of Tamiflu and 20 per cent is made up of Relenza and the drugs are due to begin reaching their expiry dates in the next few months.
The Government set aside more money in the May Budget to replenish the stockpile.
CSIRO scientist Jennifer McKimm-Breschkin, who helped develop rival flu drug Relenza, is part of an international body that monitors drug resistance globally.
She told The Daily Telegraph the developing resistance to Tamiflu should prompt the Government to review its stockpile.
"This new research offers a good opportunity for the Government to alter the balance in the stockpile,' Dr McKimm-Breschkin said.
Dr McKimm-Breschkin said testing had shown the common flu virus was still fully sensitive to Relenza, the only other medication that can be used to treat the flu.
But Roche, the drug company that manufactures Tamiflu, says Relenza has never been used in the treatment of bird flu and cannot be used on children aged under five.
