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Tamiflu: Attacks the influenza Virus
If anyone is showing signs of the flu, call your doctor immediately. Antiviral medications that can stop the flu episode need to be prescribed....

Distribution Source : Finegenerics
Date : Saturday, February 11, 2006

If anyone is showing signs of the flu, call your doctor immediately. Antiviral medications that can stop the flu episode need to be prescribed and treatment begun within 48 hours of the first symptoms.

Influenza (flu) is a respiratory infection caused by a range of influenza viruses. The most well-known aspect of the flu is the way it can "knock you off your feet" as it sweeps through whole communities.

Types of flu (Influenza) viruses

The first flu virus was identified in the 1930s. Since then, scientists have classified influenza viruses into types A, B, and C.

• Type A is the most common and usually causes the most serious epidemics.

• Type B outbreaks also can cause epidemics, but the disease it produces generally is milder than that caused by type A.

• Type C viruses, on the other hand, never have been connected with a large epidemic.

Influenza (FLU) Diagnosis

Primary Signs
• sudden onset of symptoms
• fever more then 101°F
• nonproductive cough
• Myalgia

Secondary Signs
• Malaise
• Headache
• sore throat
• nasal congestion

Tamiflu for the rescue

The antiviral medication Tamiflu (Oseltamivir phosphate) was prescribed more often than any other during last year's flu season. It is indicated for the treatment of influenza in patients aged 1 year and older who have had signs for no more than 2 days.

Tamiflu attacks the influenza (Flu) virus and stops it from spreading inside your body. It treats flu (Influenza) at its source by attacking the virus that causes the flu, rather than merely masking symptoms.

It is also indicated for the prevention of influenza (Flu) in adults and adolescents aged 13 years and older.

Alternatives for Tamiflu in the market

Amantadine: - Amantadine is used for the prevention or treatment of infections with influenza A virus, especially for individuals at high-risk such as immuno suppressed patients and nursing home residents. It may be given alone or along with flu shots.

Relenza: - Relenza (zanamivir) is an anti-viral medicine that works against an enzyme on the surface of the influenza virus, called neuraminidase. This enzyme helps new pieces of virus leave the cells of the body that are already infected by the virus, therefore these medicines reduce the amount of virus in the breathing passages (e.g. throat).

Rimantadine (Flumadine):- Rimantadine, it is used to treat, or avoid, infections from oral herpes, genital herpes, or varicella-zoster viruses. These are also known as cold sores, sexually transmitted herpes, chicken-pox, and shingles.

Are these drugs effective against any kind of influenza virus?

Rimantadine and amantadine are effective only against type A influenza. Zanamivir and Tamiflu (oseltamivir) inhibit both influenza A and B viruses.

This news release is entirely a personal opinion. It should not be misconstrued as a medical advice.

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