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進入《中英對照讀新聞》Drug-resistant flu found in Europe歐洲發現抗藥性流感
A small number of flu viruses resistant to Tamiflu, a top antiviral drug, have been detected in Europe, health authorities said.
歐洲已經偵測到少部分能抵抗強效抗病毒藥物「克流感」的感冒病毒，衛生主管單位表示。
Data from more than a dozen European countries show that Tamiflu doesn’t work in about 13 percent of H1N1 viruses, the main flu strain causing illness this year. Normally, resistance levels are well below 1 percent.
來自十幾個歐洲國家的資料顯示，克流感對13%的H1N1病毒無效，H1N1病毒是導致今年疫病的源頭。一般而言，抗藥病毒的比率應少於1%。
"It’s an unexpected finding and a signal worth watching," said Fred Hayden, a flu expert at the World Health Organization. The resistant strains most likely emerged elsewhere, but were first identified in Europe.
「這是出乎意料的發現，也是值得關切的訊號，」世界衛生組織流感專家佛瑞德．海頓說。抗藥病毒株本來最可能在其他區域出現，卻在歐洲最先發現。
The strain is resistant because of a single mutation. It doesn’t cause more serious disease than regular strains, and can be treated with other antivirals. But experts are worried that if the resistance becomes widespread, Tamiflu, one of the best tools for fighting flu, might become useless.
病毒株的抗藥性來自單一突變。這類病毒不會比一般病毒株造成更嚴重的症狀，也能以其他抗病毒藥物治療。但專家擔心，萬一抗藥能力散佈開來，克流感這種對抗流感最佳藥物可能變得無用武之地。
Tamiflu, made by Roche Holding AG, has been stockpiled by WHO and by countries around the world for possible use in a flu pandemic.
羅氏藥廠製造的克流感，廣為世界衛生組織及各國大量囤積，以防流感疫情爆發。
