European agencies find 14% of flu isolates are resistant to oseltamivir

European laboratories have detected an unusually high rate of resistance to the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) in random samples of seasonal influenza virus taken from around the continent.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and other agencies reported last week that oseltamivir resistance had been detected in 59 of 437 influenza A (H1N1) isolates from around Europe, a rate of 14%. In previous years, resistance has generally been found in about 1% of isolates.

The highest rate of resistance was found in samples from Norway, with 12 out of 16 tested isolates resistant to oseltamivir. Austria and Italy …