Bird Flu - its treatment with Tamiflu : Fine Generics

Bird Flu - its treatment with Tamiflu
Flu is not uncommon to us, as often we fall sick with flu virus which gives us trouble for three or four days and passes away. Children are mostly vulnerable to flu virus...

Flu is not uncommon to us, as often we fall sick with flu virus which gives us trouble for three or four days and passes away. Children are mostly vulnerable to flu virus.

Every one nowadays is concerned about the occurrence of bird flu in different parts of the world. It is becoming Pandemic and people through out the world are preparing protection against it. Bird flu is the simple name given to Avian Influenza which normally affects birds and generally carried by migratory birds.

But why are we concerned about bird flu? Because, it is affecting millions of domestic fowls, chickens and occasionally other animals. Most serious thing is that, it also affects human beings who come in contacts with these affected chickens or domestic animals. When the bird flu virus enters human body, it may mutate to become fatal to humans. That is why we are concerned about the strain H5N1 which is the cause of the present pandemic. That is why; bird flu is not for the problems of birds, but for humans also.

Oseltamivir Phosphate marketed by Roche is the patented name of the drug Tamiflu for fighting and protection against bird flu virus

Tamiflu is an anti viral drug used for treatment of Types A and B Influenza virus.

Tamiflu is an oral anti viral medicine which prevents new viruses from emerging from infected cells. This ultimately checks spreading of the virus form one to other.

Oseltamivir Phosphate can be used for both treatment of Influenza and prevention of Influenza.

For treatment of Patients infected with Avian Influenza virus, higher dosage of Tamiflu may be required and duration of therapy also may be longer than that required for treatment of normal type A or B Influenza virus.

Tamiflu may be given as a preventive measure either during a community outbreak or following close contact with an infected individual. This is the reason people think this is the savior against bird flu which has created the present panic in many parts of the world.

As the production capacity of Tamiflu is limited to tackle the outbreak of the Pandemic bird flu throughout the world, Roche is at present under discussions with a number of drug companies for production and marketing of generic version of Tamiflu.

There may be a tendency to personally stock piling of Tamiflu for the fear of bird flu pandemic, as its production capacity is limited.

In this respect we want to inform that the medicine should be readily available to the health workers working at a strategic area against the pandemic bird flu. Also doses may not be proper for personal stock piles which may cause resistance to drug complicating the problem.

There are a number of other medicines available in the market for treatment of Influenza. We will provide brief information about them

For type A flu, there is rimantadine oral medicine which are available in the form of tablet and syrup. This medicine is anti viral but is not effective for cold or other type of flu or other virus infection.

Another medicine called amantadine is also an anti viral drug suitable for treatment of type A Influenza. This is also available in form of syrup, tablets and capsules.

There is another anti viral drug which is effective for treatment and prevention of both type A and type B of Influenza. This is relenza available in powder form. This powder is inhaled for treatment and prevention of Influenza.

If the flu is caused by H5N1 strain, use of Tamiflu is the most suitable treatment and prevention. However, other medicines are available for treatment of flu.