Officials say mutation not significant enough to make Tamiflu ineffective
Officials say mutation not significant enough to make Tamiflu ineffective
The swine flu virus has mutated a second time. An 'insignificant' genetic mutation had occurred a few months ago, and now the H1N1 virus has done it again.
Is the second mutation a cause for concern? No, say National Institute of Virology (NIV) officials. A senior health official said such mutations are common in the genetic framework of the virus. The crucial aspect to look for is whether the mutation would be resistant to oseltamivir, as that can affect the course of treatment.
NIV deputy director Dr. Mandeep Chaddha said, "It is true that we noticed a small mutation in the polymerase 2 gene of the virus. The throat swab samples of a few patients infected with H1N1 showed this mutation. However, the mutation is not serious enough to cause resistance to oseltamivir."
He added that any resistance to oseltamivir would imply that Tamiflu, the main drug in swine flu treatment, would no longer work effectively. Oseltamivir is the active ingredient in Tamiflu.
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