A strain of Tamiflu-resistant swine flu has taken hold in a Cardiff hospital – and has so far infected five people.

The Guardian newspaper reports that doctors have found the strain of the H1N1 virus is able to spread from patient to patient – and it appears to be the first documented case of this particular strain of the swine flu virus in Europe.

All the patients affected had severe underlying health problems that had compromised their immune systems, say doctors – but three had acquired the virus in hospital.

The patients have been given an alternative to Tamiflu – one remains in intensive care, another has been discharged from hospital and three are in isolation wards.

Director of the communicable disease surveillance centre in Wales, Dr Roland Salmon, said:

‘The emergence of an H1N1 virus resistant to Tamiflu was “not unexpected” in patients who had underlying health conditions and suppressed immune systems – and who still test positive for the virus despite receiving antiviral treatment.

‘In this case, the resistant strain of swine flu does not appear to be any more severe than the swine flu virus that has been circulating since April,’ said Dr Salmon.

‘For the vast majority of people, Tamiflu has proved effective in reducing the severity of illness,’ he added.

‘Vaccination remains the most effective tool we have in preventing swine flu, so I urge people identified as being at risk to look out for their invitation to be vaccinated by their GP surgery.’

The Department of Health (DoH) said:

‘We take this development seriously, but the Health Protection Agency considers that the risk to the general healthy population is low. The Tamiflu-resistant virus has emerged in a group of particularly vulnerable individuals – this type of resistance is well documented.

‘Our strategy to offer antivirals to all patients with swine flu is the right one – to help prevent complications and reduce the severity of the illness. We are keeping the situation under review.’

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