Drug-resistant H1N1 reported at Duke hospital

[unc70]

Source: WRAL

Durham, N.C. - Public health officials confirmed Friday that four patients at Duke UniversityHospital have a drug-resistant form of the H1N1 influenza virus.The four patients have been treated at the hospital over the last six weeks, officials said.Last summer, health officials said two people in western North Carolina had a drug-resistantform of the virus.

Read more: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6465698 /

---

News conference still in progress.

[harun]

1. Umm, there are no drugs that take out flu. We only build up anti-bodies

to them. Thus the flu shot gives us dead virus, our immune systems create anti-bodies, etc.

What the hell do they even mean? Horrible scare tactic article.

[gkhouston]

2. probably resistant to Tamiflu. Up 'til now, it hasn't been. nt

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. there are two drugs that have limited effectiveness - Tamiflu and Relenza.

So what the story indicates is that the flu virus in these two cases has mutated to a strain that is not impacted by those two drugs.

[gkhouston]

4. Crappy article for not making that clear. It sounds like "flesh-eating H1N1" or something.

Which, I'm guessing, is what they hoped for.

[arikara]

19. Very limited effectiveness

at best one day sooner recovery. Not to mention side effects of taking rummy's money maker.

Really, these swine flu stories are too much.

[NRaleighLiberal]

20. The other one is a bit better, but is a nasally inhaled medicine.

I worked for the company that created it...there were extremely high hopes for it, but it was a dud upon release. Swine Flu turned something that was forgotten into something important, much to the company's surprise.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

23. Both Tamiflu and Relenza have been very effective.

Both reduced my brother and his wifes illness to 5 days and 4 days respectively. Tamiflu stopped nephews and nieces flu within 36 hours.

[harun]

34. How did you get doctors to prescribe it so fast?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

36. The doctor called in the prescription for the entire family.

[progressivebydesign]

5. there have been others early on that were resistant to Tamiflu.

Not a big deal.. Tamiflu doesn't stop the flu, it makes symptoms milder.

[rcrush]

6. Thats it I'm arming myself now

I know a Zombie Apocalypse when I see it.

[Roland99]

7. That can't be. We all know every living organism stays the same. Nothing can.....evolve?

Not surprising, really.

Esp. considering H1N1 has been known about for over a year.

[unc70]

8. More info: Is tamiflu resistant, largest cluster of cases

I can't help the lack of quality at wral.com. That is a common problem.

I will link to something better when I see it.

They indicated that all the patients had compromised immune systems. Not sure what that means in terms of the strain being resistant to Tamiflu.

[thereismore]

9. Stupid, sensational title. nt

[TZ]

10. Not a surprise

They pretty much figured it would happen sooner or later with the use of Tamiflu.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. How did they determine that it was drug-resistant?

Because they died?

I don't think you can measure tamiflu resistance on a single patient level.

It's not like you can take a culture of H1N1, grow it in a petri dish, and directly measure resistance.

[Robb]

15. Actually, that's exactly what happens I believe.

Click, and scroll down to "anitviral resistance." It's been under surveillance for some time. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly /

Edited to add, to save a click:

The majority of 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses are susceptible to the neuraminidase inhibitor antiviral medication oseltamivir; however, rare sporadic cases of oseltamivir resistant 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses have been detected worldwide. A total of 21 cases of oseltamivir resistant 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses have been identified in the United States since April 2009. In specimens collected since September 1, 2009, 11 cases have been identified in the United States, including seven newly identified cases since last week and one case reported during a previous week that was reclassified. All tested viruses retain their sensitivity to the neuraminidase inhibitor zanamivir. Of the 21 cases, 12 patients had documented exposure to oseltamivir through either treatment or chemoprophylaxis, eight patients are under investigation to determine exposure to oseltamivir, and one patient had no documented oseltamivir exposure. Occasional development of oseltamivir resistance during treatment or prophylaxis is not unexpected. Enhanced surveillance and increased availability of testing performed at CDC are expected to detect additional cases of oseltamivir resistant 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses, and such cases will be investigated to assess the spread of resistant strains in the community.

[CLANG]

21. Sound like this is the reason they died:

"Health officials said the cases were rare and that the patients were very ill with underlying compromised immune systems and multiple other complex medical conditions. It is not clear whether their deaths were related to the flu infections."

[AlphaCentauri]

29. HIV or diabetes

[kestrel91316]

12. Gosh, no one could have forseen this.

[Alcibiades]

13. Go Duke!

For so many reasons, folks in Raleigh, Cary and Chapel Hill cop an attitude when it come to Durham. And now we have drug-resistant H1N1!

Which means it's already in those communities as well, but it's gone unnoticed because no one who caught it has been treated with the drugs these already ill patients received.

[WriteDown]

14. Screw Duke...

Go Heels!

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

17. Go Duke!

[WriteDown]

18. :)

April 6th, 2009.

I'm going to assume you're in Wilmington. I'll be there in about 2 weeks. I need some Bojangles.

[Alcibiades]

30. I was being ironic

Duke is a blight on our community.

[WriteDown]

37. I know....

But still Go Heels!

[cleverusername]

16. Resistant to what?

Is this what passes for journalism in NC? Resistant to what? It's been known for a long time that H1N1 is resistant to tamiflu. Why the vague scare mongering tactics?

[unc70]

22. I posted an update: Resistant to Tamiflu. 3 of 4 patients died

The story linked at wral.com has been updated and is written somewhat better.

I posted up-thread that the H1N1 strain is resistant to Tamiflu. There have been previously reported cases of Tamiflu resistance in H1N1, but this is the largest cluster (still just four cases) and this is a reason for some concern.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

24. Guess we should have stocked up on Relenza in addition to Tamiflu.

You know the whole all your eggs in one basket thing.

[Robb]

25. Yes

CDC actually has noted of the dozen or so cases (plus four more now, it appears) that are resistant to Tamiful, all are still responsive to zanamivir (Relenza).

This is a good thing, IMO.

[TalkingDog]

26. Tamiflu-Resistant Swine Flu Cluster Reported In N.C.

Source: WSOC TV

Four North Carolina patients at a single hospital tested positive for a type of swine flu that is resistant to Tamiflu, health officials said Friday.

The cases reported at Duke University Medical Center over six weeks make up the biggest cluster seen so far in the U.S.

snip

More than 50 resistant cases have been reported in the world since April, including 21 in the U.S. Almost all in the U.S. were isolated, said officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The BBC reported another cluster of five Tamiflu-resistant cases this week in Wales, in the United Kingdom.

Read more: http://www.wsoctv.com/health/21678009/detail.html

---

Bend over. Kiss it goodbye.

[madrchsod]

27. tamiflu was`t expected to be effective against the swine flu....

[Mithreal]

28. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[unc70]

31. Why would people be unrecing this topic?

I can understand not recommending a story like this, but why the unrecs? This is the largest cluster of resistant H1N1 (the only other US cluster was also in NC), 3 of 4 patients died, and it was important enough that Duke had a news conference.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

32. Because they can. (n/t)

[TalkingDog]

39. I've noticed that stories that might actually cause people to think

for themselves get unrecommended quickly.

Oh, and the ones that smack at Republican Douchbags.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Divine Discontent]

35. not everyone can take relenza, so those with underlying illnesses are at risk...

hopefully this will not spread largely.

[fascisthunter]

38. not good