Sensitivity of influenza viruses to specific drugs in Russia during 2017−2020. The rare finds and perspective antivirals

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The article presents the results of studying the effectiveness of anti-influenza drugs in Russia in the period 20172020. The sensitivity of circulating strains of influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B to neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir, zanamivir and rimantadine was determined. The analysis of scientific articles by both domestic and foreign researchers on new promising chemotherapy drugs for influenza viruses was carried out.
 AIMS: study of the sensitivity of influenza viruses circulating strains to specific anti-influenza drugs in the framework of monitoring in the period 20172020.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted within the framework of epidemiological surveillance of the influenza viruses circulation using the collection of the influenza etiology and epidemiology laboratory with the following criteria for selecting strains isolated from pregnant women, patients with complicated flu infection and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), lethal outcomes, as well as patients undergoing treatment with specific drugs. Virological, immunological, and molecular genetic methods were used in the study, and following drugs substances were used: oseltamivir carboxylate, zanamivir, and rimantadine.
 RESULTS: For the period 20172020, the sensitivity of 541 influenza A and B viruses epidemic strains to anti-influenza drugs was studied. Most of the studied strains remained sensitive to neuraminidase inhibitors. The exceptions were: in 2017/2018 5 strains of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus resistant to oseltamivir and 2 strains of the influenza B virus, one with reduced sensitivity to oseltamivir, the second to zanamivir; in 2019/2020 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus strain with reduced sensitivity to both drugs.
 In the 2018/2019 season, an influenza A/Moscow/246/2018 A(H1N1)pdm09 strain was found to be sensitive to rimantadine.
 CONCLUSIONS: The main and most common genetic markers of influenza viruses resistance to specific drugs are: for oseltamivir substitution H274Y in the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus NA; for rimantadine substitution S31N in the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses M2 protein. Taking into account the low frequency of strains with reduced sensitivity to drugs with antineuraminidase activity, can confidently approve that they remain the drugs of choice for the treatment and prevention of influenza infection.