CAIRO: Drugs used to treat H1N1 worldwide may have side effects on children that outweigh their benefits, a recent study conducted at Oxford University said. The study, which was published in the British Medical Journal, says children should not be given Tamiflu and Relenza - the most common antiviral drugs - unless their condition is critical. Although the research did not test the effect of the drugs on children, it claims they are less likely to treat H1N1 unless the case is critical. The study found evidence that both drugs had minor or almost no effects on asthma flare-ups, and ear infections, symptoms that many children report when infected with the virus. In most cases, children infected with H1N1 are treated with antibiotics, which proves that the both drugs are not enough to cure the disease, the research indicated. The study also said that H1N1 is "minor and simple, advising parents of infected children have them rest and give them liquids and only resort to doctors if the situation gets more serious. In response to the study, the British Ministry of Health said in an official statement that it recommends both drugs to ensure a quick recovery for the patients. However, the ministry further added that it is willing to revise its strategy after the study's findings. Egyptian Minister of Health Hatem El-Gabaly had previously announced that H1N1 is a very mild virus and can be treated by aspirin and few days of rest. However, the Egyptian Ministry of Health still provides Tamiflu to all patients upon recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO). The Ministry of Health announced that total number of H1N1 cases in Egypt reached 396, with 24 new cases reported since Tuesday evening. According to the ministry's official statement, the number of recovered cases reached 285, and the remaining 110 cases are stable and undergoing treatment. Egypt reported only one death from the virus.
