Tamiflu Can Impact and Control the Influenza Virus
Before it Undergoes a Dramatic Variation

What is Influenza?

Influenza is an infection caused by a virus of the respiratory tract. Influenza is a very contagious infection and can easily break into a pandemic. You may catch this infection from an infected person who is travelling with you or is working with you or from an infected family member. Influenza virus may infect others around even if the infected person has no illness symptoms. Influenza viruses can enter the body through the mucous membranes in the mouth, eyes, or nose.

Influenza is also known as ‘flu’ and crops up mostly in winter between October and March. The symptoms of influenza are as follows:

• Fever – usually continuous and may be lower in older adults than in children and young people


• Muscle pain and body aches – often severe, usually in the arms, back and legs


• Headache – severe pain


• Loss of appetite – mainly due to a feeling of illness or fatigue


• Dry cough, sore throat or runny nose – more visible when the fever goes away

Other symptoms are usually more severe, when fever is high. Symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhoea are not related to influenza as opposed to what most people believe.

Causes for Influenza

Influenza is caused by flu viruses. There are mainly three types of flu viruses – type A, B and C. Influenza A viruses are found in humans and animals, whereas B and C are found only in humans. Influenza A virus possesses two surface proteins, haemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), which are used to classify the virus into subtypes. The natural reservoir for influenza A is considered to be aquatic birds, as all influenza A subtypes are found in these birds, whereas only certain subtypes are found in mammals. These two surface proteins may undergo change over time.

Minor changes are termed antigenic drift, while major changes in one or both of the surface proteins, is called antigenic shift. The importance of these changes is that antibodies in the blood, which are responsible for protection against repeated infection with the virus, are less effective if the virus surface protein changes; the greater the change, the less effective is the antibody. Only influenza A can undergo this dramatic variation in which a virus of a new subtype can suddenly appear in the human population; influenza B and C viruses appear to be more stable than influenza A.

It is this antigenic shift that can be the catalyst for a nation-wide epidemic, or more seriously a world-wide pandemic. The latest example of an emerging new subtype is the ‘bird flu’, first isolated in Hong Kong in May 1997, which previously had only been found in birds and was not associated with disease in humans.

As Influenza viruses are known to mutate over time, new vaccines have to be developed constantly. Old vaccines may not help against a new form of virus. Influenza viruses spread from one person to another through coughing or sneezing. Influenza can also be transmitted by indirect contact with a contaminated object or surface and then with your own mouth, eyes, or nose before washing your hands.

Treatment Available for Influenza

Current influenza vaccines contain either inactivated virus, treated so that it cannot cause infection, or virus components. Recent vaccines contain a mixture of two influenza A subtypes and one influenza B virus. The vaccines are very effective and have been shown to reduce hospital admissions for pneumonia. All viruses used in vaccine production are currently grown in chicken eggs, and experimental vaccines made in mammalian cells are likely to be the next development in vaccine production.

Changes in the virus due to antigenic drift or antigenic shift mean that the vaccine must also change to cover the prevailing strains of the virus; last year’s vaccine may not protect against this year’s virus.

The composition of the influenza vaccine for the next season is coordinated by the WHO. The ability of influenza to continually undergo antigenic change ensures that there is always a possibility that new variants not covered by the vaccine will appear which may give rise to serious epidemics. This means that making a completely accurate prediction of likely influenza activity for the oncoming season is very difficult. It should also be remembered that during the annual winter influenza season, other 'flu-like' viruses also circulate, against which influenza vaccine offers no protection. The vaccine should not be given to people who are allergic to egg products.

Influenza A infections can be prevented to a certain extent with drugs which effectively prevent illness. The combination of vaccination with prophylaxis offers the highest level of protection for high-risk patients.

Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) as Best Influenza Treatment

Tamiflu is a unique medication and helps in treatment as well as prevention of influenza. It is also recommended by World Health Organization in case of influenza pandemic and bird flu outbreak. Tamiflu is a safe and effective drug; however, it would be misleading to say that it is the best influenza treatment. Different people react differently to medications and hence you might find Tamiflu to work well for you but might not work the same way in another individual. It is best to follow the doctor’s instructions in these cases.

Tamiflu is of proven effectiveness in the treatment of influenza. New types of anti-influenza drugs are currently under development. Patients should rest, keep warm and take plenty of non-alcoholic fluids plus any medication recommended by their doctor to relieve symptoms. Antibiotics are of little value except in patients in whom bacterial pneumonia occurs.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/tamiflu-can-impact-and-control-the-influenza-virus-before-it-undergoes-a-dramatic-variation-751169.html

Webmaster associated with online clinic "HealthExpress" this site provides various information on Tamiflu and helps people in curing Influenza, resources are available on site HealthExpress.co.uk.