Reduced Prescription of Baloxavir After Suspected Prevalence of a Baloxavir-Resistant Influenza Virus Strain and the Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in a Tertiary Hospital in Japan
oseltamivir, Peramivir, zanamivir, Laninamivir, anti-influenza agents, novel coronavirus-2019 (covid-19)
Yasuhiro Kamioka,1,2 Shota Kashiwagura,1,2 Masafumi Seki1 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai City, Miyagi, Japan; 2Division of Pharmacy, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital, Sendai City, Miyagi, JapanCorrespondence: Masafumi SekiDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 1-15-1 Fukumuro, Miyagino-Ku, Sendai City, Miyagi 983-8612, JapanTel +81-22-259-1221Fax +81-22-290-8956Email m-seki@tohoku-mpu.ac.jpObjective: The use of baloxavir, a new anti-influenza agent, began in Japan from the 2018 to 2019 season and became the focus of attention due to its efficient viral reduction ability; therefore, we should know the prescription changes of anti-influenza agents.Methods: We analyzed the changes in the prescription of anti-influenza agents between the 2018– 19 season and the 2019– 20 season in our hospital.Results: The share of baloxavir was 15%, while the shares of oseltamivir and laninamivir were 42% and 31%, respectively in the 2018– 2019 season. However, in the 2019– 20 season, the share of baloxavir and laninamivir was reduced to 3% and 17%, respectively, in contrast to an increase in the share of oseltamivir (66%). The total prescription of anti-influenza agents for patients decreased in the 2019– 20 season (205 patients), compared with the 2018– 19 season (509 patients).Conclusion: These results suggest significant changes such as a reduction in the prescription of anti-influenza agents, especially baloxavir, likely due to the suspected prevalence of a baloxavir-resistant strain of influenza virus and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in Japan.Keywords: anti-influenza agents, oseltamivir, laninamivir, zanamivir, peramivir, novel coronavirus-2019, COVID-19