User talk:Sivakoti 2005

Fluvir is the brand name of generic oseltamavir manufactured and marketed by Hetero Drugs. It is produced under the sub licence from Roche which it signed in 2005. It is popularly known across the world as Tamiflu under which Roche markets it.

It is known to be effective against Avian flu popularly known as bird flu. Now it is also being indicated aganist swine flu.

In view of the spread of the Swine Flu virus in certain parts of the country, we thought it appropriate to put together some of the facts about the said virus and the precautions to be taken in this regard.

Kindly go through the enclosed material and share the same with others. Mumbai and its neighbouring cities have seen an outbreak of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) and over the past few days we have read about schools and other institutions being closed down as a safety precaution. At the same time, the reported fatalities have also been a cause for concern. Given below are some facts about this infection which you may find useful. Why is this H1N1 virus ? This virus very similar to a group of viruses that cause influenza (common cold or flu). it is a mutant virus, in the sense that it contains a mix of genes from several other viruses. How does novel H1N1 virus spread? Spread of H1N1 virus occurs from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. People may also become infected by touching objects which have been used by people suffering from this infection (which may have virus germs on them), and then touching their mouth or nose. What are the signs and symptoms of this infection? The symptoms of novel H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting. More severe infection reaches the lungs and causes difficulty in breathing and this appears to be the main cause of fatalities. How do the symptoms of H1N1 infection differ from ordinary flu? There are no specific symptoms that can help to seperate H1N1 infections from common cold infections in the early stages. However there are a few points that are important: 1. H1N1 infection may cause more severe sore throat and coughing (compared to common cold) 2. H1N1 infection may cause fever to persist beyond 4-5 days 3. There may be chest or abdominal discomfort or difficulty in breathing If these symptoms are present, then it is best to seek the opinion of your doctor How can this infection be diagnosed? The best advice is to seek medical attention if you or some family member have symptoms. Doctors can judge the severity of the infections and can then decide whether you need to undergo tests or not. A throat swab is required for proper diagnosis of H1N1 infection and several city hospitals are carrying out this tests. Are there any particular 'high risk' people who can catch this infection easily? The high risk population includes young children, very old people, pregnant women and patients with diabetes, heart disease, asthma and kidney disease. Symptoms of flu in these people needs to be monitored closely. How does one treat this infection? H1N1 infection is treated with Tamiflu (oseltamivir), which is at present available with government hospitals only. Patients may also require other supportive care if they are serious enough to be hospitalized. How can one avoid getting H1N1 infection? What about using a mask? What does WHO recommend? There is no 100% foolproof method of avoiding infection. If you are not sick you do not have to wear a mask.If you are caring for a sick person, you can wear a mask when you are in close contact with the ill person and dispose of it immediately after contact, and cleanse your hands thoroughly afterwards. Face masks are more useful for a person who is already infected to prevent him or her from infecting others by coughing and sneezing.

Secondly, do not use Tamiflu with the idea that it can prevent infection. This drug is to be used only for people already infected with the virus and in people with high risk as described above, who have been in contact with an infected person. If there is someone in your family who has the infection, then isolation of that patient from other members of the family is important. For that you need to take the advice of your doctor and get admitted into a hospital that has isolation facilities. The final advice is to avoid unecessary panic and get proper medical attention from your doctor in case you have any symptoms. Wishing you and your family memebrs a healthy life.

WITH IN A SHORT SPAN OF TIME HETERO IS ALSO LAUNCHING OSELTAMIVIR CAPS IN THE NAME OF FLUVIR