 Viruses are responsible for a plethora of conditions, many of which are very familiar to us by name at least, such as Herpes, Influenza, HIV, Bird Flu and the Common Cold. Luckily we now have the biological technology to tackle such viral infections and Oseltamivir represents such an effort. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) specifically targets the influenza virus (flu). Tamiflu is one of a new class of antiviral drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors. These drugs attack the influenza virus and prevent it from spreading any further throughout the body by selectively blocking the viral surface of the enzyme neuraminidase which, in turn, prevents any further release of virus particles. The immune system will simply recognize the infected cell and destroy it along with its ineffective contents. Tamiflu actively fights both types of viral influenza (A and B neuraminidase) which, to date, there has been no known resistance. Tamiflu does not mask the symptoms of flu but fights the causes at source. Tamiflu speeds the recovery time from the flu. When started during the first 2 days of the illness, it improves recovery time by at least a day and more commonly two. It also can prevent the flu if treatment is started within 2 days after exposure to a flu victim. Tamiflu can prevent the flu as long as you continue taking this medication, but getting a yearly flu shot is still the best way of avoiding the disease entirely. As mentioned above, to provide any benefit, Tamiflu must be started within two days of the onset of symptoms, or exposure to the flu. If you have the flu, continue taking it twice daily (2 x 75mg) for 5 days, even if you start to feel better. To prevent the onset of the flu, take it once a day (1 x 75mg) for at least 7 days. Protection lasts as long as you take the drug. Bird FluThere certainly is an international scramble to buy Tamiflu especially as there are signs that the highly infectious form of bird flu (H5N1 strain) moving across Russia from the Far East towards Europe may be sensitive to the older, cheaper drug amantadine (symmetrel). Tamiflu is thought to be the only protection available against such a deadly bug. In Northern Ireland alone, health experts recently predicted that if such a flu pandemic does happen they are preparing for up to 36,000 deaths. In the small area of Ulster approximately $USD 8 million is to be spent on protecting its people from bird flu, this equates to 438,000 doses, which will hopefully benefit around 25% of the population. Most frightening, perhaps, is that experts predict a 50 percent morality rate in the United States once the virus is transmitted person-to-person. The attack rate could be as high as 35 percent of the population, a sobering thought we think. Let’s pray that this will never be the case. Approved Uses | 
