More on Tamiflu and bird test results

Here's some more information about how taking Tamiflu or oseltamivir (generic) can interfere with test results and give false negative results in bird flu patients.

When bird flu in an area is suspected, oseltamivir or some equivalent is being given to anybody who might have had contact with a known victim or the dead chickens. If they later become sick, the oseltamivir may be inhibiting the H5N1 virus from replicating.

That means that there's not enough virus in their throats to detect using the standard throat swab.

Yet we know that treating somebody with an antiviral drug should begin within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. And that's pushing it. The sooner, the better.

So you can't wait for test results before beginning the treatment, if they appear to have the flu. Laboratory testing takes days.

If the person took Tamiflu 2 to 3 days before the test, they could have avian flu but come up negative on the test.

Seems to me this is a good thing for the individual patient, but epidemiologists who're concerned with tracking the disease are concerned.

Tamiflu interferes with bird flu test results


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