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Div. of Media Relations
1600 Clifton Road
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
(404) 639-3286
Fax (404) 639-7394 |
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June 22, 2000
Contact: CDC, Division of Media Relations
(404) 639-3286
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Flu Season 2000-01 |
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FLU DRUGS (ANTIVIRALS) |
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| Influenza viruses are divided into three types, designated
A,
B, and C.
Influenza types A and
B are responsible for
epidemics that occur almost every winter, and are associated with
increased rates for hospitalization and death. Epidemics of influenza
occur during the winter months nearly every year and are responsible for
an average of approximately 20,000 deaths per year in the United States.
(Influenza type C usually
causes either a very mild respiratory illness or no symptoms at all, and
it does not cause epidemics.) This year’s flu vaccine contains the
following strains: A/Panama,
A/New Caledonia,
and B/Yamanashi.
Although flu shots are the primary way to prevent infection with
influenza, antiviral drugs can play an important role, along with the
vaccine, in controlling and preventing illness as follows:
- Four different antiviral drugs (amantadine, rimantadine, zanamivir
and oseltamivir) have been approved for treating influenza illness.
All four must be prescribed by a physician. On January 12, 2000, the
Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory letter emphasizing
that physicians should 1) always consider the possibility of primary
or secondary bacterial infection when making treatment decisions for
patients with suspected influenza, and to 2) use special caution if
prescribing zanamivir to patients with underlying asthma or chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease.
- At this time, only amantadine and
rimantadine are approved for the prevention (prophylaxis) of influenza
A.
- Amantadine (available in the U.S. since 1976) and rimantadine
(available in the U.S. since 1993) can reduce the severity and shorten
the duration of type A
influenza, and are very useful in controlling outbreaks (e.g., nursing
homes). However, the use of these drugs has been associated with
adverse reactions that can affect the central nervous system.
Amantadine and rimantadine are not generally recommended for
widespread use in healthy persons.
- The newer influenza antiviral drugs, zanamivir (Relenza® ) and
oseltamivir (Tamiflu™), both became available in 1999. Both drugs can
reduce the severity and shorten the duration of types
A and
B influenza,
but have not been approved for the
prevention of influenza.
- Comparison of antiviral drugs for influenza*
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Comparison of antiviral drugs for
influenza*
| Flu virus
affected |
influenza A |
influenza A |
influenza A & B |
influenza A & B |
| Administration |
oral |
oral |
oral inhalation |
oral |
| Ages approved for
treatment |
>1 year |
>14 years |
>12 years |
>18 years |
| Ages approved for
prevention |
>1 year
|
>1 year |
not approved |
not approved |
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| * For more information see Prevention and
Control of Influenza: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP), April 14, 2000 / 49(RR-3). This
report is available online at
http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4903a1.htm |
| Flu Season 2000-01: See also...
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