2 Drug-Resistant H1N1 Cases Reported In Pa.

Dec 4, 2009 8:21 pm US/Eastern

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -The standard treatment for H1N1 is anti-flu drug Tamiflu, so when cases of Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 turn up, it is concerning.

There are two cases in our state. Public health officials and hospitals have a plan, if they're faced with a local case.

"Tamiflu has been our mainstay of therapy. And yes, as we get more and more resistance, we do have some concerns about that," says Dr. Bruce Dixon, of the Allegheny County Health Department.

The state lab has been testing whether the virus samples it receives would respond to this drug.

"They've detected two cases in the state, in the eastern part of the state, and I don't think that's unexpected. We're seeing growing numbers in the country of resistant viruses showing up, and we know flu mutates quite readily," Dr. Dixon continues.

A series of steps would be taken should there be a local patient with drug-resistant virus.

In the hospital, some aspects would be the same as if they were dealing with a regular strain.

"The isolation we would use for any influenza case would be the same, people wearing gloves, and surgical masks when they're seeing the patients, everybody would already be in a private room," explains Dr. Amesh Adalja, a critical care medicine fellow at UPMC.

The treatment, though, would be different with an alternate anti-flu drug -- Relenza. It is typically inhaled, but when a patient is very ill, it has to be given by vein and that requires special permission from the hospital and the drug company.

"There's no evidence that this virus causes any more damage than the regular one. The prognosis may be a little worse because it's harder to get effective antiviral treatment to this patient," says Dr Adalja.

The health department would also take action.

"We look carefully to see if there are other family members that are ill, if there are other friends in their immediate circle of acquaintances who have gotten infected," Dixon said. "We do that regularly with the severe cases of H1N1."

The health department is reminding people that they will be holding an H1N1 vaccine clinic again this weekend. The vaccine will help prevent Tamiflu resistant cases in general, by cutting down on the number of people with H1N1 all together.