Antivirals

I do hope that many readers will have taken on board the good advice given freely but forcibly by Tanya Melillo, of the National Influenza Pandemic Standing Committee, and Patricia Vella Bonanno, of the Medicines Authority, for the reader's own good and indirectly that of the whole community (Flu Pandemic Threat, August 6).

It has been a wise, logical and official policy, to the best of my knowledge, that antibiotics and antivirals prescribed for human prophylaxis and treatment should not be used in veterinary practice. This is to prevent the emergence and proliferation of drug resistant strains of micro-organisms.

In the specific instance of the antiviral amantadine, highlighted in the article in question, it has come to light that the Chinese poultry farmers may have made use of this antiviral to treat their stock suffering from bird flu, probably unbeknown to their local authorities.

The result is not unexpected. The drug is believed now to be ineffective against the bird flu virus (H5N1), a likely candidate for the expected overdue influenza pandemic. Providentially there are other antivirals which can be made available with forethought.

Never take antibiotics and antivirals without the advice and the prescription of your friendly family doctor!