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Brief Communications

Nature 437, 1108 (20 October 2005) | doi:10.1038/4371108a; Published online 14 October 2005

Avian flu: Isolation of drug-resistant H5N1 virus

Q. Mai Le1, Maki Kiso2,3, Kazuhiko Someya2,4, Yuko T. Sakai2,3, T. Hien Nguyen1, Khan H. L. Nguyen1, N. Dinh Pham1, Ha H. Ngyen5, Shinya Yamada2,3, Yukiko Muramoto2,3, Taisuke Horimoto2,3, Ayato Takada2,3, Hideo Goto2,3, Takashi Suzuki3,6, Yasuo Suzuki3,6 & Yoshihiro Kawaoka2,3,7,8

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The persistence of H5N1 avian influenza viruses in many Asian countries and their ability to cause fatal infections in humans have raised serious concerns about a global flu pandemic1. Here we report the isolation of an H5N1 virus from a Vietnamese girl that is resistant to the drug oseltamivir2, which is an inhibitor of the viral enzyme neuraminidase and is currently used for protection against and treatment of influenza. Further investigation is necessary to determine the prevalence of oseltamivir-resistant H5N1 viruses among patients treated with this drug.

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