Topical issues concerning oseltamivir use in influenza

O.V. Fesenko

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Moscow

The rapid spread of COVID-19 and the increasing number of severe cases have diverted medical attention from the problem of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections. Influenza causes annual epidemics and periodic pandemics with high morbidity rate, due to the high population susceptibility to this infection. Every flu outbreak has serious health, social, and economic consequences. The most significant of the influenza virus group is the influenza A virus. In recent decades, a negative trend in the epidemic process is the increasing incidence of influenza B outbreaks. Since the late 1970s, intensive research has been conducted on the development of etiotropic drugs for influenza therapy. Representatives of the neuraminidase inhibitors class are considered by the WHO as effective treatments for influenza A and B. In recent years, the gold standard of etiotropic therapy and prevention is oseltamivir. The drug has a systemic effect, prevents the release of viral particles. Drug efficacy and safety for the treatment and prevention of influenza are confirmed by a large number of studies combined in several meta-analyses. The article deals with the issues of influenza epidemiology and characteristics of the current course, and analyzes the study results evaluating oseltamivir efficacy and safety.

Keywords: ARVI, influenza, influenza virus, neuraminidase, prevention, epidemic.

For citation: Fesenko O.V. Topical issues concerning oseltamivir use in influenza. RMJ. 2021;4:63–66.