Variant Influenza Virus Treatment

Influenza antiviral drugs can be used to treat influenza infections, including human infections with influenza viruses that normally circulate in swine (swine influenza). There are three different antiviral drugs that are recommended for use in the United States for the treatment of influenza: oseltamivir, peramivir and zanamivir.

This page provides information about the treatment of influenza illness.

Antiviral Information for the General Public

• What You Should Know About Flu Antiviral Drugs

Information for Health Care Professionals

Important Information For People Sick With Flu

• Taking Care of Someone Who is Sick

What to do if you get sick

At this time, CDC recommends the following:

If you go to a doctor for flu symptoms (see below) following direct or close contact with swine, tell your doctor about this exposure.

If you have flu symptoms, follow CDC’s regular recommendations for seeking treatment for influenza.

If you have symptoms of flu and are very sick or worried about your illness contact your health care provider.

Certain people are at greater risk of serious flu-related complications (including young children, elderly persons, pregnant women and people with certain long-term medical conditions) and this is true both for seasonal flu and novel flu virus infections. (A full list of people at higher risk of flu related complications is available at People at High Risk of Developing Flu-Related Complications.)

If these people develop ILI, it’s best for them to contact their doctor as soon as possible. (The majority of recent H3N2v cases have been in children.)

Your doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs that can treat the flu, including H3N2v. These drugs work better for treatment the sooner they are started. If you are prescribed antiviral drugs by your doctor, you should finish all of the medication, according to your doctor’s instructions.

Also, whenever you have flu symptoms and are seeing a health care provider, always remember to tell them if you have asthma, diabetes, heart disease, neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions, are pregnant, or are older than 65 or younger than 5 years. These conditions and age factors put you at high risk of serious complications if you have the flu.

Flu signs and symptoms usually include fever and respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose, and possibly other symptoms, such as body aches, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Health care providers will determine whether influenza testing and possible treatment are needed.

There are influenza antiviral drugs that can be used to treat infection with H3N2v viruses as well as seasonal influenza viruses. More information about influenza antiviral drugs is available at Treatment (Antiviral Drugs).