US Pharm. 2009;34(5):8.
Washington, DC -- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a nationwide public health emergency declaration in response to recent human infections with newly discovered Swine Influenza A virus, commonly known as swine flu. Cases have also been confirmed in other countries. The number is expected to rise as more people are exposed to the virus. Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by type A influenza viruses that regularly leads to outbreaks of influenza among pigs. Although swine flu viruses normally do not infect humans, the HHS reported that cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses have been recently documented. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found through laboratory testing that Swine Influenza A virus is susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu, Roche) and zanamivir (Relenza, GlaxoSmithKline) and has issued interim guidance for the use of these drugs to treat and prevent infection with swine flu viruses. The public health emergency declaration is available at www.hhs.gov/secretary/phe_
