Commentary
First
Confirmed H1N1 in United Kingdom is Tamiflu Resistant
Recombinomics Commentary
06:21
October 27, 2008
Antiviral susceptibility tests on A(H3) isolates showed that they are sensitive to oseltamivir and zanamivir.
The above comments describe the first confirmed H1N1 isolate with H274Y in the UK this season. The comments on the lack of resistance in H3, suggests that the H1N1 isolate may be the first H1N1 tested in the UK. The finding of H274Y in the first H1N1 isolate(s) in the UK is similar to the results from Canada, which showed that the first confirmed influenza A case there this season was H1N1 with H274Y.
Last season H274Y was widespread in Europe and North America, but levels in most countries ranged form 10-65%. However, several countries in the southern hemisphere had H274Y levels at 100% in H1N1 isolates. The most dramatic was South Africa where 225/225 isolates had H274Y. Other countries at 100% were New Zealand and New Caledonia, with levels approaching 100% in Australia and the Philippines.
These high levels in the southern hemisphere raised concerns that similar levels would be seen in the 2008/2009 season in Europe and North America. The detection of H274Y in the first H1N1 isolate(s) in the UK increase those concerns.
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