5 May 2009

Health professionals are urged to follow guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Ageing when prescribing antivirals for the treatment of swine influenza (H1N1).

The National Prescribing Service Ltd (NPS) made these guidelines available on its website last week, along with links to information from the US Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organisation and other industry organisations.

Current recommendations for the treatment of swine influenza using oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®) are only in the event of:

• close contacts of confirmed or probable cases, in consultation with the local Public Health Unit, within 48 hours of contact
• suspected cases, in consultation with the local Public Health Unit, if started within 48 hours of onset of symptoms, until influenza A is excluded or an alternative diagnosis is made.

There is no current recommendation for oseltamivir to be used as a prevention by travellers visiting affected countries, apart from Mexico.

These recommendations are in line with those issued by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which can be accessed at www.cdc.gov/swineflu/recommendations.htm.

An article ‘Rapid tests for the diagnosis of influenza’ from the June edition of Australian Prescriber has been released early and can also be accessed via the NPS website.

The article, written by Microbiology Registrar Hong Foo and Clinical Professor of Medicine, Dominic Dwyer, from the Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, outlines rapid influenza tests based on viral antigen detection with point-of-care tests and immunofluorescence, how they work and their limitations.

It is not expected that the Australian seasonal influenza vaccine will provide protection against this new strain of influenza virus. However, people over 65 and other vulnerable groups should still be encouraged to be vaccinated as this will provide protection against seasonal influenza.

Community pharmacists can access more detailed information through The Pharmacy Guild of Australia and Pharmaceutical Society of Australia websites.

Doctors and other prescribers can access further information through the AMA and RACGP websites.

ENDS

The National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) is an independent, non-profit organisation for Quality Use of Medicines funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.