'Tamiflu-resistant' swine flu strain emerges
'Tamiflu-resistant' swine flu strain emerges
Friday, 20, Nov 2009 05:18
There are reports a Tamiflu-resistant strain of swine flu has infected a small number of patients in Cardiff.
According to BBC reporters, health officials are investigating the possible person-to-person spread of the strain, which has infected a small number of patients at the Welsh capital's University Hospital.
Tamiflu is the medication used to treat the symptoms of H1N1, or swine flu, and reduce the length of time the patient has the condition. The government has stock-piled Tamiflu for a potential swine flu epidemic; therefore any chance of a resistance to it could have serious health implications.
The BBC reports one patient apparently developed resistance to the antiviral drug, and the strain was then passed on to others at the hospital. If confirmed, this would be the first case of its kind in Europe.
There has only been one case of person-to-person transmission of a Tamiflu-resistant strain, between two people in the US.