New Flu Treatment

For 3 decades, scientists have been experimenting with medications that stifle the influenza virus. Two drugs, amantadine and rimantadine, can impede the disease and limit symptoms. However, neither works against one of the two major strains of influenza, and both can be eluded by the evolving virus. In addition, amantadine causes some disagreeable side effects, including confusion and nightmares. A new antiviral—zanamivir—seems to ease or eliminate many symptoms of either flu strain if taken …

…only 30 to 50 percent effective. Researchers still need to test zanamivir on high-risk patients, elderly people, and those with asthma, he says. The participants in Monto's study averaged 29 years old. "These were [mostly] healthy young people," Glezen notes. Zanamivir might also be useful as an interim measure among people who are exposed to the virus before getting a flu shot. Daily doses may fend off the disease while the vaccine mounts its antibody response, Glezen says.