SuperNova1987A
Moderator
Re: Japan Reports Tamiflu-Resistant H1N1 Influenza Case
Clarification and additional information
AFP?s report (or Kyodo news agency?s original report) is wrong in saying that the patient was given Tamiflu since first being diagnosed with A(H1N1).
Based on the media and the official account of the case from the Ministry of Health, the patient (a female in her 40s) was given the drug on May 18 as precautionary administration (one capsule per day for 10 days) to prevent infection from a confirmed patient with whom she had had close contact. So, she was not diagnosed with novel influenza at the time she was given Tamiflu. (She should be at least rapid-tested and the result was certainly negative. It is not stated if her specimen was taken and sent for PCR test then but probably not.)
While she took the drug regularly since then, she had a mild fever from May 24, consulted a fever consultation center on May 28 and was diagnosed with novel flu on May 29. Then she was given Relenza and recovered by the end of the month.
Somebody suspected Tamiflu-resistance from the fact that she contracted novel influenza despite of the precautionary Tamiflu and her specimen was sent for further investigation including gene sequence analysis in which the Tamiflu-resistant virus was found on June 18.
On the other hand, a specimen taken from the original patient with whom she had close contact and by whom she was probably infected with novel flu was also sent for further analysis (probably after the discovery of the Tamiflu-resistant virus) but no mutation was found from the original patient?s virus.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Osaka prefecture apologized for not disclosing the discovery for two weeks. The prefecture explained it was conducting further investigation to confirm Tamiflu-resistance before a public announcement.
The Ministry of health was informed of the discovery of Tamiflu-resistance on July 1 by Osaka prefecture and advised the prefecture to publicize it immediately.
__________________________
SN1987A
Clarification and additional information
AFP?s report (or Kyodo news agency?s original report) is wrong in saying that the patient was given Tamiflu since first being diagnosed with A(H1N1).
Based on the media and the official account of the case from the Ministry of Health, the patient (a female in her 40s) was given the drug on May 18 as precautionary administration (one capsule per day for 10 days) to prevent infection from a confirmed patient with whom she had had close contact. So, she was not diagnosed with novel influenza at the time she was given Tamiflu. (She should be at least rapid-tested and the result was certainly negative. It is not stated if her specimen was taken and sent for PCR test then but probably not.)
While she took the drug regularly since then, she had a mild fever from May 24, consulted a fever consultation center on May 28 and was diagnosed with novel flu on May 29. Then she was given Relenza and recovered by the end of the month.
Somebody suspected Tamiflu-resistance from the fact that she contracted novel influenza despite of the precautionary Tamiflu and her specimen was sent for further investigation including gene sequence analysis in which the Tamiflu-resistant virus was found on June 18.
On the other hand, a specimen taken from the original patient with whom she had close contact and by whom she was probably infected with novel flu was also sent for further analysis (probably after the discovery of the Tamiflu-resistant virus) but no mutation was found from the original patient?s virus.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Osaka prefecture apologized for not disclosing the discovery for two weeks. The prefecture explained it was conducting further investigation to confirm Tamiflu-resistance before a public announcement.
The Ministry of health was informed of the discovery of Tamiflu-resistance on July 1 by Osaka prefecture and advised the prefecture to publicize it immediately.
__________________________
SN1987A
