Doctors are getting worried that many strains of the flu do not respond to Tamiflu. The "miracle" flu drug is being stock piled by countries in the event of a flu pandemic. What will happen if that cure proves to be ineffective?
"I think this is a very concerning change in influenza virus resistance patterns," Dr. Frederick Hayden, a leading antiviral expert and a member of the WHO's Global Influenza Program, said from Geneva.
"This is not only interesting, it's unusual and would not have necessarily been predicted by the necessary information. So it's certainly something we're taking seriously and trying to gather additional information (on)."
It appears that the
"flu" can mutate quickly making the available drugs that are on the market at this time not as effective or not effective at all in the treatment of the condition.
The mutation has appeared in the H1N1 virus. Scientists say that at this time it is too early to say that this is a trend in the influenza virus.
"It's a somewhat higher proportion of resistance than we would have expected and (than) we've seen in the past," he said from Atlanta.
"But we don't know yet if it represents a trend upward or just we're doing a better job of doing surveillance."
There are reports that six 204 HiN1 viruses in the United States and fewer than one percent in Europe have the mutation rendering the present course of flu treatment unable to treat the illness. This needs to be watched closely and underscores the need of new flu treatments.
