Fixing H1N1 Tamiflu Resistance In the Philippines
Recombinomics Commentary 19:07
September 29, 2008

In South Africa, a total of 283 A(H1N1) viruses have been isolated during the 2008 influenza season as of 9 September.

Of those, 129 isolates have been tested for oseltamivir resistance by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and 100% were found to be resistant to oseltamivir by genotypic
analysis.

In Australia, 25 of 26, Argentina, 11 of 25, Chile, 6 of 44 A(H1N1) viruses analysed showed the specific neuraminidase mutation (H274Y) associated with oseltamivir resistance, respectively.

WHO has also received reports from NICs in other parts of the world; In the Russian Federation, 9 of 20, and Philippines, 10 of 11 A(H1N1) viruses tested were found to be resistant, respectively.

The above comments provide additional updates on Tamiflu resistance in the southern hemisphere and indicate that resistance is at or near 100% in South Africa (129/129), Australia (25/26), and the Philippines (10/11).

The levels suggest the Tamiflu resistance is becoming fixed in the above countries, and will likely become fixed in new versions of clade 2B that emerge in the upcoming season, in spite of targeting Brisbane/59 in the current vaccine for the northern hemisphere and the upcoming vaccine for the southern hemisphere.

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