DALLAS, April 29 (UPI) -- The drug Tamiflu, made and marketed by Roche Holding AG of Switzerland, is the best treatment for the new strain of swine flu, a U.S. medical expert says.
Dr. James Luby, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, said Tuesday that for certain patients who have come down the with disease, and for medical professionals who need to prevent contracting the virus, Tamiflu remains the gold standard, The Dallas Morning News reported.
"We don't want the ordinary you or me to go out and start taking Tamiflu," Luby said. "But if you got sick with a 101-degree temperature, and it's within 48 hours of the onset of illness, you'd be a good candidate to receive it once you've had a spot-check for flu."
Luby said another good candidate for Tamiflu would be a relative of an infected person living in the same house who is afflicted with diabetes. The Morning News said Tamiflu has also proven effective in preventing the swine flu among healthcare workers who take a full, five-day treatment course of the drug.
