TREATMENT AVIAN FLU

Posts Tagged ‘TREATMENT AVIAN FLU’

Anti-viral drugs are given to humans who may be infected with avian flu. These drugs are also used to combat human influenza. In the USA, four antiviral medications are approved for treatment of influenza. These are :

1. Amantadine
2. Rimantadine
3. Oseltamivir
4. Zanamivir (limited supply)

When used for treatment within the firt 2 days of illness, all four antiviral medication are similarly effective in reducing the duration of illness by 1 or 2 days. People who are at high risk of serious complication from avian flu are given top priority to these medications (amantadine, rimantadine, and oseltamivir) are also approved for prophylaxis (prevention) of influenza.

The center of Disease Control recommens tahat any person experiencing a potentially life-thereatening influenza related illness should be treated with anti-viral medications. Also, any person at high risk for serious complications of influenza and who is within the first 2 days of illness onset should be treated with antiviral medications. In children, rimantadine is approved for prophylaxis among children aged >1 year and for treatment and prophylaxis of influenza among adults. Although rimantadine is approved only for prophylaxis of influenza among children, certain specialists is the management of influenza consider itappropriate for treatment of influenza among children. Also available for treatment of children ( >1 year) are amantadine and oseltamir, or zanamivir for children aged over 7 years.