Does it attack the proteins that make the virus's "shell"?
2007-02-25 15:16:14 · 2 answers · asked by chipmunk88 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
Influenza's have two proteins on the outside of their protein coat called Haemaglutinin and Nuraminidase, and depending on which type, the virus is labelled eg H5N1 - the fifth type of H. and the 1st type of N.
Haemaglutinin is a very "sticky" protein, it sticks the virus to cells, and saliva, but in order to enter the cell, nuraminidase needs to cut the virus free. Tamiflu targets the nuraminidase on the virus, to stop it doeing this, blocking virus entry.
Unfortunately, H5N1 ir already showing tamiflu resistance strains.
2007-02-25 19:37:29 · answer #1 · answered by Bacteria Boy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's Tamiflu, and it works by piggy-backing a weakened strain of flu onto something the body will attack, that's what I think anyway.
2007-02-25 15:21:25 · answer #2 · answered by ksway07 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋