NIV detects three new variants of H1N1 virus

May 25, 2010

PUNE: The National Institute of Virology (NIV) here has detected three new variants of the H1N1 virus. Fortunately, all three variants have shown susceptibility to Tamiflu , the drug used in the treatment of swine flu.

However, with the virus actively acquiring new properties, NIV scientists are apprehensive that it might develop resistance to the medicines used in treating swine flu. “For now, there is no need to worry. But we are closely monitoring the virus for any change in its virulence ,” NIV assistant director Sarah Cherian told TOI recently.

Cherian said seven mutated variants of the virus have been found across the world so far.“As expected of the seasonal influenza virus, the H1N1 virus is also going through constant genetic variations which might lead to significant changes in its antiviral resistance,” she said.

The variants of the H1N1 virus, representing both recovered and fatal cases from major cities – Pune,Mumbai,Delhi,Hyderabad and Bangalore — were analysed at the NIV and the complete genomes of these variants were sequenced . The results of the genetic analysis have been published in the March 2010 issue of the US journal, PLOS One.

Woman dies of swine flu
PUNE: A 48-year-old woman from Baramati succumbed to the H1N1 flu on Sunday, taking the death toll in Pune to 237. Sunanda Mehtre, who was diabetic, died at the Sassoon hospital here at 8 am.

‘No major change in Indian variants of H1N1’
PUNE: The National Institute of Virology (NIV) here has detected three new variants of the H1N1 virus. Fortunately, all three variants have shown susceptibility to Tamiflu, the drug used in the treatment of swine flu.

The NIV study, which compared the Indian viruses with 685 whole genomes of global viral isolates, revealed that the first Indian isolate of May 2009 belonged to a subtype (clade 5) and correlated to the time during which the dissemination of the virus was noted in Asia.

The later isolates of the period from June to September 2009 belonged to H1N1 variants (clades 6 and 7). The clade 7 variant was seen to be the dominant one, though no spatio-temporal patterns were noted within this variant, said Cherian. Among the established pathogenic markers, no significant change was observed in the Indian variants of the H1N1 virus.

The first influenza pandemic of the 21st century was declared with the emergence of a novel influenza A (H1N1) strain in Mexico and the US in April 2009.

In its last H1N1 situation update released on May 14, the World Health Organisation said that more than 214 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 18,036 deaths.

The virus was first detected in India in May 2009. Since then outbreaks have been reported from many parts of the country.