title: Detection of amantadine-resistant variants among avian influenza viruses isolated in North America and Asia.
abstract: Here, we report the diversity of amantadine-resistant mutants among avian influenza A viruses with pandemic potential (H5, H6, H7, and H9 hemagglutinin subtypes). Drug-resistant variants were not detected among 1979--83 isolates, whereas 31.1% of H5 and 10.6% of H9 strains from Southeast Asia isolated in 2000-04 carried mutations in M2 protein. In North America, resistant variants occurred among H7 viruses only (16.4% of those tested). H6 viruses were amantadine-sensitive. These findings prompt concern regarding the control of pandemic influenza, the possibility that the next pandemic virus will be amantadine-resistant and the need to monitor the use of the drug in poultry.
authors.affiliation: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
authors.forename: Natalia A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ilyushina
authors.forename: Elena A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Govorkova
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Webster
mesh_terms: D000547:Amantadine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D002460:Cell Line; D004285:Dogs; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D009656:North America; D011200:Poultry
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000547:Amantadine