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Biosecurity BriefingTamiflu Resistance Found Throughout Europe By Crystal Franco, February 1, 2008 On January 31, 2008, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported that “antiviral susceptibility testing” of H1N1 influenza—the strain circulating throughout Europe this flu season—has revealed “some of the A (H1N1) viruses in circulation this winter are resistant to the antiviral drug oseltamivir (also know by the brand name Tamiflu).”1 Approximately 437 H1N1 virus samples have been collected from 18 European countries and were tested for susceptibility to antiviral drugs. Of those 437 samples 59, or around 14%, have “shown resistance to oseltamivir.” According to ECDC, 26 of the 59 samples that demonstrated resistance to the antiviral drug were from Norway, and in response to this finding, Norway’s government is now working with the European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and has issued an advisory on its Public Health Institute Website.1 Although the data available at this stage are limited, the ECDC reported that across Europe “the proportion of influenza viruses exhibiting resistance to oseltamivir must be significant, but not as high as in Norway.” Experts from the ECDC, the EU and the WHO are currently working on an “interim joint assessment” of the situation which will be released in the coming days.1 References
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