Mad rantings about politics, evolution, and microbiology. Comment policy: say what you want, but back it up with an email address. I don't like anonymous trolls.
...Oh my? The CDC is being very smart about this issue. As long time readers of this blog will know, the Mad Biologist is very concerned about the evolution of resistance to antibacterials (antibiotics) and antivirals. One such antiviral is Tamiflu which is used to treat influenza infections.
The CDC has flown in experts on the evolution of antiviral resistance to advise them on when and how Tamiflu should be used, so as to limit the evolution of resistance to Tamiflu.
And the CDC seems to be listening. You might have noticed that there has been very little public discussion of Tamiflu--the CDC and other public health departments have urged rest, fluids, and Tylenol for all but the most serious cases (which is very good advice).
The reason this matters is that, right now anyway, the best (very educated with some math) guesses I've heard is that this will basically play out as an additional round of seasonal influenza with more infections among young, healthy adults due to the lack of immunity. We wouldn't want to resistance to evolve when, overwhelmingly, most cases will resolve on their own (and without extensive hospitalization).
Well done CDC (and we could do far worse than keeping Besser in charge of the place. Gerbeding who?)
Medicine & Health
Comments
Mike,
I couldn't agree with you more! Besser is such a relief.
You might be interested to see the comments my friend Philip Alcabes made about this same topic. He just published *Dread: How Fear and Fantasy have Fueled Epidemics from the Black Death to Avian Flu* and he has a smart take on the swine flu swoon. http://www.philipalcabes.com
Posted by: Judith Baumel | April 30, 2009 11:52 AM
The flu vaccination in Singapore did not work. My friend caught a cold one month after being innoculated!
Posted by: kelly | April 30, 2009 12:28 PM
Kelly, you might want to have a look at this:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/coldflu.htm
In short, flu and cold are different ilnesses. Flu shots don't protect from common cold.
Posted by: hat_eater | April 30, 2009 2:00 PM
IIRC, the strains of H1N1 going around this year were showing high resistance to Tamiflu, but not Relenza.
Posted by: TomJoe | April 30, 2009 2:44 PM
What I don't get, is why stocks of Glaxo Smith Kline and Roche, makers of Tamiflue and Relenza, have not gone through the roof,
Posted by: Jim Spice | April 30, 2009 4:13 PM
just stopped by to say thx for your level head on this hysteria, mike!
Posted by: skippy | April 30, 2009 9:10 PM
Please explain the anitviral medication on a cellular level.
thank you,
Linda
Posted by: Rosistas | May 1, 2009 9:46 AM
nice article
Posted by: tamiflu | May 1, 2009 6:51 PM
Great and very interesting article!
But explaining about this medication is very needed...
Posted by: antibiotics | January 18, 2010 7:41 AM
stopped by to say thx for your level head on this hysteria!
Posted by: online medicamente | March 11, 2010 11:27 AM