Influenza Epidemic Disease: The Past and the Current Treatment

doi:10.15406/ijvv.2016.02.00040

International Journal of

eISSN: 2470-9980

Vaccines & Vaccination

Perspective Volume 2 Issue 4

Influenza Epidemic Disease: The Past and the Current Treatment

Mohamed Nabil

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CID Pharmaceutical Company, Egypt

Correspondence: Mohamed Nabil, CID Pharmaceutical Company, Nasrcity, Cairo, Egypt, Tel 01221986923

Received: December 03, 2015 | Published: August 11, 2016

Citation: Nabil M (2016) Influenza Epidemic Disease: The Past and the Current Treatment. Int J Vaccines Vaccin 2(4): 00040. DOI: 10.15406/ijvv.2016.02.00040

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Perspective

Many People though that Influenza disease infection has no treatment and has only vaccination that should be given to prevent the infection from beginning, absolutely it’s a huge mistake, there is a treatment for influenza, but it’s a Time-Related with the symptoms onset.

A Warning for HCPs (Health Care Professionals) who may treat with any patient who is influenza confirmed or suspected infection about pharmacotherapy, we used to treat influenza infection Type A and B (within 48hours of symptoms onset) with Adamantanes (AMANTADINE) which known in the Egyptian Pharmaceutical market by the following trade names, VIRAFLU 100mg capsule, PK-MERZ 100mg f.c.tablet and 200/500ml sol.for IV inf, INFEX 100mg f.c.tab., AMANTINE 100mg caps and ADAMINE 100mg caps, also we used (RIMANTADINE) which is available as, RYMANTA, VIROLYSIS both are 50mg/5ml syrups.

All of this above now are NOT RECOMMENDED in the Treatment or in the Prevention of Influenza Type A Virus due to Current UNIVERSAL RESISTANCE, furthermore this drugs is NEVER Effective against influenza type B Virus.

The Recommended drug therapy for influenza Virus Infection according to WHO and ACCP (American College of Clinical Pharmacy) and other Health care Organizations is Neuroaminidase inhibitors (OSELTAMIVIR and ZANAMIVIR) which should be initiated with 48hours of symptoms onset , which will resolve symptoms 1-1.5days sooner OSELTAMIVIR, Which known in the Egyptian pharmaceutical market as TAMIFLU 75mg caps and TAMINIL -N 12-75mg hard gelatin caps, in treatment it should be given in a dose of 75mg orally twice daily for 5 days , and for creatinine clearance (a parameter associated with kidney function) less than 30ml/minute (very poor kidney function) the dose should be reduced to 75mg/day orally.

About ZANAMIVIR Which now has many restrictions to be found in the Egyptian market since the foundation of the new strain of Bird Flu in Egypt which found to be Resistant to Antiviral drugs, suspected to Zanamivir-Resistant type Resistance, you can find the article that written by DONALD G.McNEIL Jr in THE NEW YORK TIMES Journal in (2007) Under the topic of (NEW STRAIN OF Bird Flu Found in Egypt Is Resistant to Antiviral Drugs) , but the drug that known as a trade name of RELENZA is still in use for the treatment and prevention of Influenza virus infection.

Many and many articles have been released on ZANAMIVIR as a weapon against influenza virus , the drug (RELENZA) not widely used as it’s more expensive than OSELTAMIVIR (TAMIFLU) the chief weapon against the virus, it is also harder to use and to ship because it’s typically sold not as a pill but as a powder that comes in an inhaler resembling a small hockey puck.

An Intravenous form exists but has not been approved for use in many countries, including the US. So the dose of ZANAMIVIR incase of using it as a treatment is (two inhalations (5mg/inhalation) twice daily for 5days), but watch out it’s Adverse effects including Bronchospasm and cough, so RELENZA is NOT RECOMMENDED in patients with Asthma or COPD With a suspected infection by Influenza virus .

Finally, as we always say that prevention is the better than treatment, use the influenza vaccine specially for who is younger than 2years and older than 65years and also for heart and lung diseases as a prevention from that infectious and epidemic disease.