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Chapter One
EXISTING INFLUENZA
ANTIVIRALS: THEIR MECHANISMS
OF ACTION AND POTENTIAL IN
THE FACE OF AVIAN INFLUENZA
Erik De Clercq
Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000
Leuven, Belgium
INTRODUCTION
The outbreaks of avian influenza A (H5N1) in Southeast Asia (with
several clusters recently identified in Indonesia), the expanding geographic
distribution of this epizootic virus (with well-documented cases
in Eastern Turkey in 2006), and the ability of influenza A to transfer
to humans and cause severe infection have aroused serious concerns
on the control measures that should be undertaken if a pandemic with
influenza A, whether avian or human, would strike. In the wake of such
pandemic, several preventive and therapeutic strategies have been
formulated, among which are the stockpiling of antiviral drugs and
in particular the neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir (Tamiflu[TM]) and
zanamivir (Relenza[TM]).
Many governments are now stockpiling large quantities of oseltamivir,
providing an e ... read full excerpt from Combating the Threat of Pandemic Influenza : Drug Discovery Approaches ebook
