Amantadine for Prophylaxis against Influenza A

Abstract

Amantadine, 200 mg daily, for 5 days was used in an attempt to restrict the spread of influenza A in a hospital ward. After index cases of influenza A amantadine was given to 2 patients with clinical symptoms and to 8/10 patients who were not yet ill. No further case of clinical influenza was seen among the patients, but 3 of those receiving amantadine developed subclinical infection. No side effects of amantadine were noted. Amantadine was not given to any of the 23 hospital staff on duty. In this group 8 cases of influenza A appeared, 3 of them during the week after the introduction of amantadine to patients.