Influenza viruses with reduced sensitivity to the neuraminidase inhibitor drugs in untreated young children.

Abstract

The neuraminidase inhibitors are a class of antiviral drugs used for both the prophylaxis and treatment of influenza infections. Clinical trials of these inhibitors detected a low level of resistant viruses from treated individuals, although a higher frequency was detected in children (5%-6%) compared to adults (1%-4%). In addition, there have been some previous reports of NA inhibitor resistant viruses being isolated from untreated individuals. Here we report on the NA inhibitor sensitivity of over 1,000 influenza isolates collected through the World Health Organization (WHO) global influenza surveillance program. Of the total number of viruses analysed, only 2 (0.2%) strains (an A(H1N1) st..