Has H1N1 virus mutated? Man on Tamiflu tests +ve
4 Jul 2009, 0158 hrs IST, Pushpa Narayan, TNN
CHENNAI: The case of a 29-year-old man, who continued to remain H1N1 positive even after 2 week of treatment here, has doctors and health department officials in a tizzy.
Experts fear that this could be an indication of the virus either having mutated or developed resistance to the anti-viral drug, Tamiflu. Mutation and drug resistance have been major challenges in dealing with viruses across the world. The present A(H1N1) is a strain developed from an earlier type which caused the Spanish flu.
What has added to the confusion in health circles here is that the man was discharged from the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet, where he was quarantined.
Officials at the hospital said they had decided to discharge him based on a fax message they received from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).
‘‘Though his throat swabs continue to show positive, he was not showing any clinical symptoms. We told him not to step out of his residence for a week and advised him to stay away from the rest of his family members, particularly his pregnant wife,’’ said Chennai corporation health officer, Dr B Kuganantham.
But the directorate of public health is panicky. ‘‘We are upset that the NICD has directly contacted the hospital without keeping the government in the loop.
The viral status of the patient is still positive, possibly because of a mutation or drug resistance. He could be a carrier who can spread the infection to other people,’’ said director of public health Dr S Elango.'
hat-tip Dutchy
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