Netherlands: Tamiflu resistant flu strain kills two

[Giuseppe]

Re: Netherlands: Tamiflu resistant flu strain kills two

Two deaths from tamiflu resistant griepvariant
Friday, May 23, 2008 11:15

(Novum) - Two patients from Rotterdam and Utrecht are deceased this year as a result of an griepvariant proved resistant against conventional medicine tamiflu.

That indicates the journal Medical Contact Friday.

The victims were relatively young: they fell outside the risk of the elderly. But they had a significantly weakened immune system.

In the Netherlands, according to death virology professor Charles Boucher of the UMC Utrecht some thousand people annually to flu. "But these are elderly. It was hard to lose these young patients to flu. " The age of the victims and where exactly they are deceased is not known in the trade press.

In January docks in Norway griepvariant one that is resistant to tamiflu.

These variant came under Roel Coutinho Director of the Centre Infectieziektebestrijding of the National Institute of Health and Environment (RIVM), Netherlands barely. It is unclear whether the two Dutch deaths is connected with the flu virus that appeared in Norway. 'In the RIVM is not known what the virus is two deceased "explains a spokesman.

In the Netherlands, the antigriepmiddel tamiflu mainly used in old people's homes. When an occupant gets flu, the preventive medicine for other residents administered.
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http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/laatste_24_uur/artikel/asp/artnr/206827/
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[HenryN]

Re: Netherlands: Tamiflu resistant flu strain kills two

even Osterhaus can not exclude that the young patients were
hit by a flu virus that is immune to Tamiflu.

And I give it ~70% at this moment.
But can we exclude the opposite ?

The H1N1 likely has H274Y but it did NOT develop in the patients.

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Netherlands: Tamiflu resistant flu strain kills two

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/05230801/H274Y_Fatal.html

Commentary

Fatal Tamiflu Resistant H1N1 Cases in The Netherlands
Recombinomics Commentary 12:58
May 23, 2008

Both in Utrecht and Rotterdam is a deceased patient with flu, by resistance to oseltamivir (Tamiflu). The victims were young patients with a weakened immune system strong.

The above translation describes two patients in the Netherlands who died from infection with Tamiflu resistant H1N1. Their immune system was compromised, and the H1N1 was not susceptible to Tamiflu (oseltamivir) treatment.

The report highlights the limitations of using Tamiflu to treat seasonal flu when the H274Y status is unknown. H274Y is common in many European countries. In Norway, more H1N1 infections are Tamiflu resistant than wild type. High levels have also been reported in France and Russia, while many countries have frequencies between 10-20% of H1N1 cases.

Although these isolates are susceptible to Relenza, and some are still sensitive to amantadines, the reliance on Tamiflu can have deadly consequences.

Moreover, the widespread distribution of H274Y in H1N1 can impact H5N1 treatment if the polymorphism is acquired by recombination.

Recent mild H5N1 cases raise concerns that the level of H5N1 in human populations is significantly higher than the confirmed cases reported by the WHO.


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