The virus responsible for the current swine flu outbreak is a never-before-seen strain that appears to be spreading via human-to-human transmission, an influenza specialist from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today.
"This virus is a brand new virus, it has never been detected before," said Dr. Timothy Uyeki, during a CDC conference call on the latest findings and information regarding the virus, known as swine influenza A (H1N1).
"For clinicians, it is important to realize this virus is resistant to the anti-viral medications Amantadine and Rimantadine and therefore those medications are not recommended for treatment of this swine influenza virus infection," Uyeki said.
Amantadine, sold as Symmetrel, is an older influenza treatment, developed in the 1960s to combat Asian flu. The compound is also used to treat Parkinson's disease. Rimantadine, developed in 1994, is an orally administered antiviral drug also used to treat Influenzavirus A. It is sold under the name Flumadine.
Uyeki said that since the Mexican outbreak, 40 cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the United States. He reiterated the fact that none of the cases have proven fatal and that most sufferers exhibited normal influenza symptoms.
"It's important to realize there have been no deaths in any of the 40 cases that have been confirmed in the U.S.," Uyeki said. "All of the individuals have had, essentially, uncomplicated influenza-like illness - that would be fever, cough, sore throat, headache, fatigue, generally upper respiratory symptoms, but also some muscle aches, body aches, as well as some gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea in some of the patients."
He also noted the public, at this point, should not be concerned with coming into contact with pigs or pork products.
"What's important to realize is that the cases United States do not have a link to contact or exposure to pigs - sick pigs or any pigs. This all appears to be ongoing human-to-human transmission," he said.
Though much about swine influenza remains unknown, Uyeki said some existing treatments have apparently been shown effective in treating sufferers.
"The good news is this virus, swine influenza A (H1N1) virus, it is susceptible to the Neuraminidase inhibitors, zanamivir - that's Relenza - and Oseltamivir - that's Tamiflu. So those medications are recommended for treatment and chemoprophylaxis of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection."
Neuraminidase inhibitors are drugs that prevent influenza viruses from budding, a process in which a virus hijacks the functions of a host's healthy cells. Chemoprophylaxis is the clinical term for administering medication to prevent the spread of a disease and an infection.
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