Health Articles : Infections : Bird Flu
Bird Flu Virus : Bird Flu Drug
Bird Flu DeathsChina has reported only three confirmed cases of H5N1 in people of which a boy in Hunan province who recovered, and two women in Anhui province who died, the ..... There are not a lot of drugs in the market which can reduce the severity and duration of illness cause by Bird flu. Oseltamivir (commercially known as Tamiflu) and Zanamivir (commercially known as Relenza) are two drugs presently in the market which deals with Bird flu. For cases of human infection with H5N1, the drugs may improve prospects of survival, if it is administered early. Vaccines which are really affective against a pandemic virus are not yet available. Each year vaccines are produced for seasonal influenza nut those don’t protect against pandemic influenza. Vaccine against H5N1 virus is still under development in several countries. The vaccine needs to closely match the pandemic virus that’s why large-scale commercial manufacture will not start until the new virus has emerged and an epidemic has been declared. The current global production capacity is far short of the demand expected during an epidemic.
A Swiss firm had claimed that sales of Tamiflu had doubled compared with the same period a year earlier. The firm has started producing Tamiflu as fast as it can after the World Health Organization (WHO) advised countries to build up stocks supplies of the drug to help combat a potential bird flu epidemic. Companies will continue to take action to boost production capability for Tamiflu to meet seasonal and epidemic needs. The company named Roche is now making Tamiflu at 13 different sites worldwide. They are producing more than 100 million capsules a year. The WHO has warned all the countries that a flu pandemic could kill up to seven million people.
A scientific study (in United States of America) of humans with bird flu (who have received the anti-viral drug Tamiflu) has found that the bird flu virus can rapidly become invulnerable to the medicine. If the drug is overused or used improperly, the current research suggests that the drug will quickly become ineffective against the disease. This is a frightening report. But Tamiflu is still a good and useful drug. At least, it is the best among the limited options available for treating H5N1.
Bird Flu PreparednessAuthorities running poultry farms in Australia usually lack experience in meeting outbreaks due to engagement in the emergency response of farms. National .....
Bird Flu PreventionBird flu usually begins much like conventional influenza and may be accompanied by fever, cough .....
|