The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Wednesday that it is tracking two new cases of H1N1 influenza in the United States that exhibit increased resistance to medication. as reported by AOL.
This information was detailed in the CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, highlighting mutations named I223V and S247N, which are of public health concern. told by MSN.
These new flu strains were initially reported by CBS News and follow a study by scientists in Hong Kong. The study found that the new strains show more resistance to the flu treatment of oseltamivir, commonly known as Tamiflu. However, the strains remain sensitive to other antiflu medications. Currently, there is no change to clinical care for the mutated virus, according to a CDC spokesperson.
The CDC emphasized that the flu vaccine still provides protection against these strains, with or without the mutations. The two U.S. cases were identified in laboratories at the Connecticut Department of Health and the University of Michigan during the past fall and winter. Although these mutations have been circulating globally since May 2023, their detection frequency has been low.
While the CDC is uncertain about the extent to which these new viruses will spread in the upcoming flu season, it stresses the importance of continued monitoring of their spread and evolution.
The H1N1 virus caused the 2009 swine flu pandemic, which resulted in 491,382 confirmed cases and 18,449 deaths globally, according to the World Health Organization.
