Many HIV and HIV and hepatitis coinfected patients are at high risk for influenza each year due to their compromised immune status. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all HIV positive individuals, especially those with advanced HIV disease, receive the influenza vaccination shot annually.

In 2006, the CDC has issued an additional important advisory regarding medications sometimes used to treat influenza: Doctors should stop prescribing two standard antiviral drugs to treat or prevent this season's influenza because the predominant strain has quickly become resistant to them, advise federal health officials The standard drugs are amantadine and rimantadine.

Instead, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that doctors prescribe two newer antiviral drugs, oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), and said ample supplies were available. The agency also urged the public to get flu shots.The new findings concern only the strain of influenza causing regular seasonal influenza, and not avian avian influenza or pandemic influenza, said the centers' director, Dr. Julie L. Gerberding.

Scientists have been alarmed about a rising incidence of drug resistance among influenza viruses isolated from patients around the world over the last decade and their ability to be transmitted from person to person.

Globally, the incidence rose to 12.3 percent in the 2003-2004 season from 0.4 percent in the 1994-1995 season, the C.D.C. and other scientists reported in The Lancet on Oct. 1, 2005. In the United States, the incidence of such resistance has soared to 91 percent from 1 percent.

01/17/06

Source
R Altman. This Season' s Flu Virus Is Resistant to 2 Standard Drugs. January 15, 2006.

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