The influenza virus neuraminidase (NA) protein is required for virus release from the cell, a property exploited by the antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamavir (Relenza). During clinical testing of oseltamivir in 2001, some individuals shed drug-resistant viruses with an amino acid change from histidine to tyrosine (H274Y) in NA. Such viruses are not inhibited by oseltamivir because the amino acid change leads to decreased binding of the drug. But these viruses replicated less well in cell culture, and had reduced infectivity in ferrets. It was concluded that oseltamivir resistant influenza virus mutants would not spread in the population. Why was this conclusion wrong?
