| World Health Organization (WHO) has developed | | | | agreement to stockpile antivirals, evidence-based |
| pharmacological advice for the use of antiviral | | | | guidelines for their use do not exist." |
| treatments for highly pathogenic avian influenza. | | | | The WHO convened an international panel to develop |
| There is a high price to pay when it comes to mass | | | | evidence-based guidelines for pharmacological |
| production of food stuff especially one of animal | | | | treatment of H5N1 patients, evaluating the benefits, |
| origin. Poultry has come under pandemic attacks | | | | harms, burden, and cost of interventions in several |
| leading to widespread human afflictions a number of | | | | patient and exposure groups. |
| times. Avian Influenza or bird flu is the one that just | | | | The group agreed on a number of strong |
| refuses to go away. Not in spurt for the time being, | | | | recommendations relating to treatment of H5N1 |
| however it continues to take its toll. According to a | | | | patients in a non-pandemic situation, as the poultry |
| poultry news source, the World Health Organization | | | | news source information goes. |
| (WHO) has developed pharmacological advice for the | | | | Patients should receive oseltamivir treatment as soon |
| use of antiviral treatments for highly pathogenic avian | | | | as possible. Another line of treatment being Tamiflu |
| influenza, according to a report in the January 2007 | | | | has been found to be very effective. The |
| issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases. | | | | recommendations of the group being - if |
| According to the information available, "Recent | | | | neuraminidase inhibitors are available, clinicians should |
| spread of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus to poultry | | | | not administer amantadine or rimantadine alone as a |
| and wild birds has increased the threat of human | | | | first-line of treatment; high-risk exposure groups |
| infections with H5N1 virus worldwide," write Holger J. | | | | should receive oseltamivir as chemoprophylaxis |
| Schünemann, MD, and colleagues from the | | | | continuing for 7 to 10 days after the last known |
| WHO Rapid Advice Guideline Panel on Avian Influenza. | | | | exposure. |
| The information adds that "despite international | | | | |