BMJ  2003;326:1223-1224 (7 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7401.1223

Editorial

Preventing and treating influenza

Neuraminidase inhibitors are clinically effective but have limitations

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

WHO estimates that seasonal influenza epidemics result in three to five million cases of severe illness and 250 000 to 500 000 deaths each year in the industrialised world alone. Although vaccination remains the most important measure for reducing this sizeable public health burden, the influenza virus neuraminidase inhibitors, zanamivir and oseltamivir, have been welcomed as long awaited additional tools for treatment and prevention. However, in terms of meeting public health objectives, which include clinical effectiveness in high risk groups and preparedness for the next influenza pandemic, they have important limitations.

As documented in the paper by Cooper et al p 1235) in this issue, neuraminidase inhibitors are clinically effective for the treatment of influenza in otherwise healthy adults and children as well as for prevention of the disease.¹ When used as a treatment, they can reduce the duration of uncomplicated disease by about one day, and the likelihood . . . [Full text of this article]

World Health Organization, Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland (stohrk@who.int)

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Related Articles

Neuraminidase inhibitors for influenza A and B: PROSE may be as useful as POEMs

Nick C Bradley
BMJ 2003 327: 105. [Extract] [Full Text]

Effectiveness of neuraminidase inhibitors in treatment and prevention of influenza A and B: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials

Nicola J Cooper, Alexander J Sutton, Keith R Abrams, Allan Wailoo, David Turner, and Karl G Nicholson
BMJ 2003 326: 1235. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Huber, V. C., McKeon, R. M., Brackin, M. N., Miller, L. A., Keating, R., Brown, S. A., Makarova, N., Perez, D. R., MacDonald, G. H., McCullers, J. A. (2006). Distinct Contributions of Vaccine-Induced Immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgG2a Antibodies to Protective Immunity against Influenza.. CVI 13: 981-990 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• McCullers, J. A. (2006). Insights into the Interaction between Influenza Virus and Pneumococcus. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 19: 571-582 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Balicer, R. D, Huerta, M., Grotto, I. (2004). Tackling the next influenza pandemic. BMJ 328: 1391-1392 [Full text]  
• (2003). Neuraminidase Inhibitors Are Effective but Costly. JWatch General 2003: 3-3 [Full text]  
• Bradley, N. C (2003). Neuraminidase inhibitors for influenza A and B: PROSE may be as useful as POEMs. BMJ 327: 105-105 [Full text]