Tests have been conducted on the H5N1 strain of bird flu, which is spreading in South East Asia, have shown that it is starting to develop resistance to the leading anti-viral drug Tamiflu. The Medical Research Council is stressing the need to stockpile more that just one type of drug. The UK government has stockpiled millions of doses of Tamiflu, they are reviewing there position and have already received advice that a one-drug approach may be unsound.
New statistics for human cases of the H5N1 bird flu virus have shown 382 people have been infected and 241 killed, mostly all in South East Asia. Nevertheless the virus still cannot easily pass from human to human, though this may change in the future since experts have warned that the virus acquires the capability to pass from human to human, if this happens it will create an impending threat to millions of people around the world. In this situation the health authorities hope that stockpiles of anti-viral drugs will help treat those affected. So far most of the people that have been infected are poultry workers who have come into close contact with infected birds.
"Single anti-flu drug 'not enough'" BBC NEWS. 15 May.2008.<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7398369.stm>.
H5N1 bird flu virusH5N1 bird flu virus. October 12 2007. Google. 14 May 2008 <http://www.tfot.info/news/1022/bird-flu-vaccination-ready.html>.
Hi Sci. Soundzabound. 15 May 2008<http://soundzabound.com/faceted_search/results/-/teaser/relevance/-/taxonomy%3A92%2C35>.
ForWhatever.Soundzabound.15May2008<http://soundzabound.com/faceted_search/results/-/teaser/relevance/-/taxonomy%3A92%2C35>.
No comments:
Post a Comment