Researchers: Tamiflu works against bird flu

[mom cat]

Researchers: Tamiflu works against bird flu

Monday, July 18, 2005; Posted: 12:40 p.m. EDT (16:40 GMT)


WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Roche's influenza drug Tamiflu suppresses the often deadly avian flu strain seen in Vietnam, which experts fear will soon cause a human pandemic, U.S. government researchers said on Monday.

They said tests in mice showed the drug, licensed for use against influenza in general, could suppress the newest strain of H5N1 virus that is sweeping though flocks of poultry in Vietnam, Cambodia, China and elsewhere in Asia.

Public health experts say the avian flu virus is mutating and fear it could develop the ability to spread easily from person to person and kill millions in a flu pandemic.

The H5N1 strain has killed more than 50 people in Asia since 2003. More than 140 million chickens have been killed in the region in a bid to halt the disease.

"We need to know whether antiviral drugs can prevent and treat avian flu, because in the early stages of a global outbreak, most people would be unvaccinated," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which funded the study.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/conditions/07/18/bird.flu.tamiflu.reut/index.html

[caligirl]

1. This is nice, but those who have autoimmune disorders can't use

Tamiflu. We can't even take it because a member living in our household who has an autoimmune disorder can't be exposed to it via others who have inhaled it during the 3 week period following administration. Its in the pkg insert. Even my son's doctor didn't know that.

[Journeyman]

2. What danger is there of exposure to strangers who've taken it. . .

or does the exposure have to be more immediate and personal?

[caligirl]

5. As the person exhales some of the agent is released into the air where

the risk to the immunocompromised person could then inhale it. droplet nuclei that get released into the air.

I worried about strangers, or friends, teachers etc that would take this and expose my son to the inhaled vaccine. Nothing I can do, he gets exposed and we hope nothing happens. But one thing that helps is that immunocompromised persons should be getting their flu shots early, weeks before the general population gets their shots. So immunity to the flu virus would be building with some protection as early as two weeks after the injection. Don't quote me please. This is what I remember from last fall.

edit: The insert said members living in the same household. So its probably closer proximity or length of exposure in that proximity. If your worried I would say call the manufacturer. They have people who can answer this with more specific info.

[necso]

3. A somewhat less optimistic take:

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/07180501/H5N1_In_Vivo_Tamiflu.html

[oscar111]

7. LESS OPTIMISTIC? yes, but still sees hope in hi dose levels

i invite notes on any errors i make here, as i just did a fast read of your good link.

The report only seems pessimtic about current dose levels. It also notes that higher doses appear to offer hope for better results.

what i read about the mice seemed to say that eighty percent survived if given the hi dose level for eight days.. and IIRC, not sure i recall this part right .. pills began before infection.

since the hi dose level in that study may not be a plateauing effect level, we may hope that a higher dosage will give better survival rates.

appears we should all buy stock in Tamiflu and put a ton of it in the medicine cabinet too. LOL.

PS IIRC, there are 8 or 1O strains of bird flu.

We should make bush allocate billions more to the NIH, like he promised.. and then totally quietly... renegged on. No increase for NIH was the bush result. Now , 3O billion is NIH research budget . Demand tenfold increase this year. 3OO billion.

and another tenfold next year.
3 Trillion.
Even tiny S Korea has raced past us and just opened the WORLD STEM CELL BANK.

WE CAN AFFORD 3 TRILLION FOR RESEARCH ON FLU, STEM CELLS, AND OTHER CURES.
1O9 Trillion is US wealth... see demopedia, page called Capital for gov source of data.

{on edit.. ok, link is less optimistic than the OP, but it does still see hope in the high dose level and possibly even higher doses}

[Ian David]

4. Fundies need to boycott Tamiflu

Roche Laboratories "supports the homosexual agenda" by providing same-sex partner benefits.

They also "kill babies" by paying for fertility treatments that leave left-over embryos.

So, if there is ever a devastating epidemic of Bird Flu, we have to make sure Dobson and his ilk know not to get vaccinated.

[mom cat]

6. But they will lose their qualms and be first in line for this drug made by

those queer loving baby killers! :sarcasm:

[electricray]

8. Apologies for no resource links but,

wasn't there a story not long ago about Tamiflu being all but sold out? I thought there was some story about the manufacturer not being able to come up with enough for even the high-risk patients. Maybe I a have my drugs mixed up.

[sleipnir]

9. No, there was plenty, but it was a pretty penny.

You had to pay for the good stuff. Just like we will have to pay when death comes soon in the form of Avian.

[pandemic_1918]

10. Tamiflu Shortage

The amount of Tamiflu available is sever ly limited and most countries that mention the stockpiles are really talking about levels when their back orders are filled.

However, the stockpile is based on a myth, which assumes the FDA approved dose will be effective. The latest research clearly shows that it will not. Even when mice are started on medication before they are infected, 50% die when treated for 5 days at the highest does (current recommended dose).

H5N1 can also be neurotropic, so the survivors may also have significant levels of H5N1 in neurological tissues, so suing survival as an end point may simply define the level to keep neurologically compromised patients alive.

Use of Tamiflu to contain H5N1 needs a lot of work

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/05180501/H5N1_Tamiflu_Containment.html

[zippy890]

11. Hi Pandemic - hoping to see you post

I've noticed some bird flu reports in the news lately, and was hoping you would check in here with your thoughts.

:hi:

[mom cat]

12. Thanks for your informative, but scary post.

[pandemic_1918]

13. Qinghai H5N1 is Amantadine Sensitive

Qinghai H5N1 is probably raging in China. It's Amantadine sensitive

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/07200506/H5N1_Qinghai_Amantadine_Sensitive.html