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Amantadine - a cure of bird flu
Amantadine is an antiviral medication, which was approved in 1976 for treatment of type A influenza in adults...

Date : May 22, 2006

Amantadine is an antiviral medication, which was approved in 1976 for treatment of type A influenza in adults. It blocks the actions of viruses in your body thus preventing them from spreading and causing harm.

Since 1997 many cases have been reported from Asia and Europe where humans have been infected by the avian influenza virus strain H5N1 - also called as bird flu. Wild birds commonly carry this highly contagious strain. Domestic poultry, when infected with H5N1, becomes very sick and dies in large numbers. During an avian influenza outbreak about 90% of the domestic poultry dies within 48 hours of being infected.

Humans pick up the bird flu virus due to exposure to infected birds and their contaminated surroundings. Human to human infection is rare. Once infected common flu symptoms including fever, cough, headache, fatigue, body aches and sore throat are visible in the patient. If untreated this condition can be fatal.

Amantadine is known to have been an effective medication against the type A influenza virus and has shown encouraging results when administered to patients infected with bird flu virus.

Some Chinese poultry farm owners have been known to inject Amantadine doses in their poultry to prevent H5N1 infection. This has led to an Amantadine resistant H5N1 strain. In this condition Amantadine treatment becomes less effective when this resistant strain infects human beings.

Consult your doctor before taking Amantadine. Discuss your detailed medical history including major illnesses, prescription and non-prescription drugs, dependency on alcohol or drugs and if you plan to get pregnant during the course of medication.

Always take the prescribed dose and finish the full medication even if the symptoms improve because the infection may not be gone completely. Since Amantadine may cause an upset stomach, take the dose with food or milk. Amantadine may cause some side effects including dizziness or allergic reactions. If it causes insomnia, take the last dose many hours before bedtime. Overdose may cause complications. Drugs that stimulate your central nervous system may increase the side effects from Amantadine.

It is available as capsules or syrup under the brand name Symmetrel. No prescription is required for purchasing Amantadine. This medication is easily available in drugstores and online pharmacies.

Continue to take you annual flu shot and protect yourself from infection.

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