Antiviral therapy for influenza virus infections.

Every year, influenza viruses cause global epidemics that result in significant morbidity and mortality. Influenza infections can be serious in children, especially infants and toddlers. Four antiviral agents, amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir, and zanamivir, are available for the treatment or prophylaxis of influenza. Experience with the use of these antiviral drugs for influenza in children is limited. Given the small degree of therapeutic gain that is reported from clinical trials, considerations about cost effectiveness are important in deciding whether to use these agents in the treatment of suspected or proven influenza infections in healthy children.