Swine flu: Now drug-resistant strain spreads from one patient to another

Published on Friday 20 November 2009 21:46

HEALTH officials are probing the first British case of a drug-resistant strain of swine flu spreading from person to person. Doctors have already come across several strains of the virus that do not respond to anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu.

But in a case at University Hospital College, Cardiff, the resistant strain appears to have spread from one person to another – the first time this has happened in Europe.

It came as Scotland's swine flu death toll reached 40 yesterday. The latest adult victim, who had underlying health problems, was from the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

An investigation in Cardiff will examine the possibility that one patient developed resistance to the Tamiflu antiviral drug and the strain was then passed to others at the hospital.

There have been reports around the world of people developing resistance to Tamiflu while taking the drug. But so far there has been only one case of person-to-person transmission of a Tamiflu-resistant strain, between two people at a US summer camp.

However, last night four patients at the same hospital in North Carolina tested positive for a type of swine flu that is resistant to Tamiflu – the biggest cluster seen so far in the US.

The Scottish Government said it was aware of two cases of a Tamiflu-resistant strain in Scotland, but there was no evidence of person-to-person transmission north of the Border. A spokeswoman said: "There have been two cases of H1N1 (swine flu) resistance to Tamiflu discovered in Scotland and a handful across the UK. Both patients in Scotland have fully recovered. This is a rare occurrence but it's not of huge concern and it's certainly not a sign that swine flu is mutating into something more serious. This can happen when an individual is on antivirals for a prolonged period of time.

"This is resistance only to Tamiflu and in Scotland we have stockpiles of another antiviral which can be used … there is absolutely no evidence of person-to-person transmission of a resistant strain (in Scotland]."

Meanwhile, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the latest death in Scotland was a tragedy and her thoughts were with the patient's family.

She added: "Fortunately, this is a mild illness for most, but people with underlying health conditions are at greater risk of complications, which is why we are prioritising the vaccine for this group."

It was announced yesterday that children aged over six months and under five years will be the next priority group to get the swine flu jab. It will be prioritised after GPs have finished vaccinating at-risk groups, which include people aged six months to 65 with conditions like heart disease, asthma and diabetes.

Figures on Thursday showed the rate of GP consultations for flu-like illnesses across Scotland – not necessarily H1N1 – was 119.4 per 100,000, suggesting 7,400 people had consulted their GP over the week. But it is thought up to 21,200 people have contracted swine flu, with many not seeing their doctor.

One of the worst-affected areas is the Highlands, where 52 pupils were yesterday confirmed as having swine flu.

Another 1,421 youngsters were off school with flu-like symptoms. The list included 150 at Thurso High School (26 per cent of the roll); 122 at Dingwall Academy (26 per cent); and six from the 17-pupil Farr Primary, near Inverness (41 per cent).