Potential risks associated with widespread use of pandemic influenza drug

Tamiflu, an antiviral flu drug, is recommended worldwide for the prevention and treatment of pandemic influenza infection, but extensive use by the human population could cause a serious environmental challenge as well as encouraging a new strain of avian flu to develop.

Reporting in the current issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) describe the likely effects of widespread antiviral treatment for a flu pandemic, on wildlife and the natural environment.

Lead researcher Dr Andrew Singer, said “An antiviral drug has never been widely used before, so we need to determine what might happen. During a flu pandemic, millions of people will all take Tamiflu at the same time. Over just 8 or 9 weeks, massive amounts of the drug will be expelled in sewage and find its way into the rivers. It could have huge effects on the fish and other wildlife.”

The build up of Tamiflu in rivers is likely to cause the avian influenza virus in ducks to become resistant to it, eventually resulting in a new wave of flu that is unaffected by the Tamiflu drug. People in south-east Asia, for example, could be more at risk from contracting the new strain of influenza because they have close and frequent contact with wildfowl.

Dr Singer said, “We hope that, in the short term, Tamiflu will slow the spread of the virus so that an effective vaccine can be produced. But we recommend that more research is done to identify the regions and people most at risk, to study how Tamiflu behaves in water, and to determine cheap and easy ways to break it down before it reaches the river.”

The CEH research has focussed on determining the effects of Tamiflu in rivers in the UK and the USA.

Source: Natural Environment Research Council

Related stories:

Scientists examine bird flu infections to monitor for 'pandemic' mutations
Scientists funded by the Wellcome Trust are to examine what is preventing the H5N1 avian influenza virus from causing a human pandemic and what mutations are required to realise its deadly potential. The research could hold the key to early identification of a potential influenza pandemic, and to developing drugs and a vaccine.
Researchers identify potential new drug candidates to combat 'bird flu'
As the specter of a worldwide outbreak of avian or "bird flu" lingers, health officials recognize that new drugs are desperately needed since some strains of the virus already have developed resistance to the current roster of anti-flu remedies.
New vaccine may give long-term defense against deadly bird flu and its variant forms
A new vaccine under development may provide protection against highly pathogenic bird flu and its evolving forms, according to researchers at Purdue University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who discovered the new preventative drug and have tested it in mice.
Faster test reported for detecting fake Tamiflu in fight against counterfeit drugs
Chemists in Georgia are reporting development of a fast new method to detect fake Tamiflu, the mainstay medication for preventing and treating bird flu. Tamiflu has become a target for counterfeiters as recent outbreaks of bird flu have increased public demand for supplies of just-in-case antiviral drugs to use in case of an epidemic of the deadly disease.
WHO data confirms low level of resistance to Tamiflu
New data published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed a low frequency of resistance to Tamiflu (oseltamivir) over 3 influenza seasons (2003 – 2006).
Many U.S. states not ready for pandemic
Despite U.S. stockpiles of drugs and respirators, public health officials say many states are still not fully prepared to handle a flu pandemic.
Old drug may become new bird flu weapon
Amantadine, a generic drug created in the 1970s to treat seasonal flu might become a new weapon to use along with Tamiflu if a bird flu pandemic occurs.
Scientists ready to crack bird flu code
British scientists say they will determine the genetic sequence of the bird flu virus in Turkey within the next few days.

News discussion:

Medicine & Health news