Flu almost kills girl despite negative tests CNN

03.12.09

(CNN) -- Hayli Murphy hears her source's cell phone ring, and she bounces off the couch to get it. Watching her run around, it's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, the 9-year-old was heavily sedated in a pediatric all-out care unit, a ventilator doing the job her lungs -- ravaged by H1N1 flu -- could no longer do.

"She was front there. She was at death's door," remembered her mother, Julie Murphy.

Hayli spent 43 days in the concentrated care unit at Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida.

Looking back at her daughter's illness, one of the things that strikes her nourish is that in the days before Hayli was admitted to the hospital, a test showed that she did not have the flu -- twice.

Dr. Andrew Pavia, chairman of the pandemic influenza test of strength force for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and others are concerned that doctors are being misled by rapid flu tests and flaw to treat patients who, like Hayli, really do turn out to have the flu.

Source:

WHO Briefing Statement On Tamiflu Resistant Viruses

# 4013

Lisa Schnirring of CIDRAP Intelligence tonight has an excellent overview of a briefing statement and a press conference held today by the WHO (World Vigour Organization) regarding Tamiflu resistant viruses and the need to `tweak’ treatment regimens for immunocompromised patients.

I’ve got the hole to Lisa’s overview, followed by the briefing note posted on the WHO site.

Lisa Schnirring Staff Writer

Dec 2, 2009 (CIDRAP News) – The Happy Health Organization (WHO) said today that oseltamivir (Tamiflu)-resistant pandemic H1N1 cases in hospital settings imply that treatment doses may need to be increased in immunocompromised patients who have flu symptoms.

The agency made this statement after a teleconference with experts about two late clusters of resistant cases. It also concluded that the events don't signal a public health threat.

The WHO, in a statement, said manifestation of drug-resistant flu in severely immunosuppressed or immunocompromised patients is expected and has been well documented in seasonal flu.

In late October a Welsh polyclinic detected an outbreak of oseltamivir-resistant pandemic H1N1 in eight patients who had severe hematologic disorders. Edwina Hart, well-being minister for the Welsh Assembly Government, said today in a statement that three of the patients appear to have been infected in the dispensary.

Three are still hospitalized, one in critical care. All are responding to treatment with a different antiviral, she said.

Hart said so far there is no averment that the resistant strain spread outside the hospital and that it does not appear to be any more severe than nonresistant strains.

Read more...

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Amid probe, pharmacies cut back on liquid Tamiflu price USA Today - Dec 01, 2009 The InquisitrWalgreens has reduced its prices by close to 20% and CVS nearly 10% for a scarce liquid form of the H1N1 drug Tamiflu amid form CVS, Walgreens Drop Tamiflu Prices After AG Sends Nasty LetterCT AG probing “Pathology febrile greed'' in Tamiflu pricingBlumenthal probes flu drug pricesall 168 news articles »

Flu almost kills girl despite negative tests CNN - Dec 03, 2009 This outdated, Hayli was admitted and put on the antiviral medication Tamiflu, which is most effective when given within 48 hours of developing flu symptoms. and more »