Oseltamivir for Influenza, Even After 48 Hours of Symptoms?

The drug reduced symptom duration and virus shedding among patients in Bangladesh who started treatment up to 5 days after symptom onset.

Oseltamivir has been shown to reduce the duration of influenza illness and to limit virus shedding when started within 48 hours after symptom onset (JW Infect Dis Jul 1 2000). Now, researchers have tested the drug in a trial involving 1163 urban residents in Bangladesh (minimum age, 1 year; 51% <5 years old) who had influenza symptoms lasting ≤5 days and who had a confirmed positive finding on a rapid influenza test of nasal wash specimens. Participants were randomly assigned to receive oseltamivir (donated by the manufacturer) or placebo twice daily for 5 days. Randomization was separate for participants with symptoms <48 hours (67% of the cohort) and those with symptoms ≥48 hours (33%). Specimens were taken at baseline and on days 2, 4, a…

Reviewing Author

Mary Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Mary Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Oseltamivir for Influenza, Even After 48 Hours of Symptoms?

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Reviewing Author