Flu Drugs and Antivirals, Essential Facts
Influenza Chemotherapy Control, Flu Prevention in People of All Ages
Apr 30, 2009
Influenza chemotherapy control, or the use of flu drugs and antivirals for influenza works when necessary. Streptomycin, penicillin, cephalosporins, and a large number of other antibiotics, are effective for bacterial infectious diseases, but they are useless against viral infections. If a patient acquires a secondary infection, as with Streptococcus or Staphylococcus, antibacterial antibiotics are useful. However, viruses require specific, defined antivirals, and there are only a few antivirals that work against influenza. The wise and appropriate use of flu antivirals is important.
Early History of Antimicrobials and Virus Vaccination Immunization
The era of antibiotics was great in the 20th century. One new antimicrobial after another was discovered on the average of one or more per decade. Despite the large number of types and kinds of antibacterials, there were no antivirals. Polio, measles, mumps, chickenpox, smallpox reigned supreme once they struck. Yes, there were vaccinations and immunizations that came about. Pasteur even produced a useful vaccine for the rabies virus without ever seeing or knowing that it was a virus. The Chinese for centuries practiced immunization for smallpox before Sir Edward Jenner initiated smallpox vaccination in England. Vaccination helps prevents the disease, whereas antivirals are treatment to deal with viral disease in progress and underway.
Flu Drugs and Antivirals, Essential Facts, How They Work and What They Do
Flu drugs and antivirals, to be effective and useful, must be taken within 48 hours after the signs symptoms of flu appear. These signs include fever, chills, sweating, pain in the head and throat and running nose with overall body ache. The drugs reduce pain and the signs and symptoms of disease and permit a quicker recovery. Typically, uncomplicated flu lasts for up to a week or 10 days. Therapy reduces the illness time to about 3–4 days.
Swine flu is treatable with zanamivir and oseltamivir. Both of these antivirals are neuraminidase inhibitors. The surfaces of influenza viruses are dotted with neuraminidase proteins that are actual enzymes. Influenza viruses attached to cell membranes are released by neuraminidase. This permits the viruses to infect other living cells in a progressive fashion. Neuraminidase inhibitors block the enzyme's activity. This prevents new virus particles from being released and limits the spread of the infection.
Adamatanes include both amantadine and rimatadine. Amantadine is a synthetic tricyclic amine that interferes with the viral M2 protein. The drugs have two effects:
- prevents release of infectious viral nucleic acids into host cells.
- prevents virus assembly during replication.
Flu Drugs and Antivirals, Essential Facts: Oseltamivir, Zanamivir, Amantidine, Rimatadine
- Antiviral intervention, when appropriate. CDC recommends oseltamivir (Tamiflu, Registered Name) as effective to treat and prevent swine flu for people 1 yr and older; zanamivir (Relenza, Registered Name) is useful to treat and prevent in 7-year-old and older persons, and may be used for prevention in those as young as 5 years old. Each drug is effective against swine flu H1N1.
- Oseltamivir is taken orally; zanamivir is inhaled.
- Antivirals are prescription drugs and cost about $85 to $90 a treatment.
- There are counterfeits on the market that are not licensed and may be ineffective. Purchase from reputable pharmacies only is recommended.
- Effectiveness of the drugs is before flu onset, or only during the first 48 hours of flu onset.
- Amantadine and rimatadine are not effective due to increased resistance of Type A influenzas. There is a 99% resistance of H3N2 and 14% resistance of H1N1.
- For secondary bacterial infections, appropriate antibiotics are needed for control. When bacterial infections are suspected it is usually necessary to take cultures and do susceptibility tests.
To read and learn more about various aspects of flu by this same author see:
- structure of flu virus swine, avian and human flu.
- understanding the nature of pandemics, epidemics and endemics
- epidemiology of the spring swine flu of 2009.
Be equipped, be prepared and be informed. National, state, local and world health programs are being tested now and will be in the future for this, and other, infectious diseases.
Consider the health sciences of medicine, nursing, medical technology, respiratory therapy, radiology as potential rewarding, fulfilling, lifetime career opportunities.
Sources
CDC (US). 2009. Human Swine Influenza Investigation.
FPnotebook.com. 2009. Influenza A Antiviral.
Greenberg, R.S. et al. 2001. Medical Epidemiology. Third Ed., Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill, New York. 215pp.
WHO. 2009. Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response.
 |
 |
