PakMed InfoGlobe: Bird Flu (Avian Influenza) Treatment

Bird Flu (Avian Influenza)

Avian Flu (Avian Influenza)

Treatment

In August 2005, the U.S. government said it would purchase millions of doses of a prototype bird flu vaccine from a French vaccine maker. The announcement came after the government said tests showed that the vaccine promoted an immune system response in healthy adults. The vaccine still needs to be tested over several months in adults older than 65 and in children. The vaccine won't be licensed until late in 2006, and it will take at least 6 to 12 months to produce useful amounts.

Right now, the primary treatment option is the flu drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu), a neuraminidase inhibitor that works by preventing the virus from escaping its host cell. It's not clear how effective Tamiflu will ultimately prove against (A) H5N 1. In Southeast Asia, resistance to it seems to be developing quickly. Another antiviral flu drug, Relenza, may be an alternative.

But both drugs must be taken within two days after the appearance of symptoms, something that may prove logistically difficult on a worldwide scale, even if there were enough to go around. Because they're in short supply, it's not entirely clear how flu drugs would be allocated if there were a widespread epidemic.

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