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CDC: Drug resistance an obstacle in influenza pandemic prevention

Infection Control Monitor, September 23, 2005

Resistance to drugs that treat influenza has increased by 12%, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study.

Decade-old studies indicated a low incidence of resistance to amantadine and rimantadine among common influenza virus strains. However, the CDC screened 7,000 influenza A isolates for drug resistance and found that it increased from 4% in 1994-95 to 12.3% in 2003-04.

Some Asian countries, according to the study, had drug resistance frequencies exceeding 70%.

The findings mean that amantadine and rimantadine may no longer be effective for treatment in the event of an influenza pandemic.

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