Influenza Antiviral Drug Search:常见问题解答

Influenza Antiviral Drug Search 的常见问题解答

该项目是否有助于遏制最近的H1N1的爆发？

不能。对抗流感的潜在药物的研发是一个冗长的过程，对当下的流感暴发恐怕帮助不大。一旦该项目的计算部分标识出了最佳的候选化合物，就需要相当大量的实验测试和药物研发，在这之后药物才能为公众提供安全而有效的治疗效果。当下的H1N1暴发提醒了我们流感病毒突变之快速，新病毒株出现之容易。季节性流感暴发每年会导致数十万人因此丧生。我们希望利用这一认知推动更多志愿者献出他们闲置的计算机资源，帮助我们加快这一重要的研究。然而，WCG的强大力量和每个人的无私付出能极大地促进研究进程，帮助我们测试大量化合物，将研究重点放在那些最佳的候选化合物上。研究人员会被精密部署，以应对潜在的、更严重的（或是有抗药性的）流感病毒。

为何流感免疫无法解决问题？

每年，科学家和制药厂都会开发新的流感疫苗以应对即将到来的流感季节。但是流感不断迅速地变异出新品种，这是在流感流行几个月前，疫苗投产时无法预判的。由于流感病毒不断变异，新的毒株不断出现，我们的研究总是有价值的。

我的计算机如何为研究做出贡献？

当你的电脑开机时，CPU在绝大部分时间都是闲置的（干等着下一次鼠标或键盘点击）。这些闲置时间能积累成巨大的计算量，当数以百万计的电脑团结在一起时，这就能被利用起来为有价值的目的服务（例如对流感病毒的研究）。这可以极大地提高研究速度。过去科学家要花上成百上千年的时间才能完成研究。WCG和你的努力让研究计划的进行第一次成为可能。

How soon is a new influenza drug going to be available?

In just several weeks, we will start identifying candidates for laboratory examination from the analysis on World Community Grid. It will then take anywhere from a few months to years to complete the entire process of distributing new drugs. During this time, when good candidates are found, they will proceed to laboratory testing phases. These ultimately lead to clinical trials and hopefully a drug available for use. The entire process can take years depending on the details and any problems encountered. Thus, we do not know how long it will really take nor when and if suitable candidates will be found.

However, we do know that the process of searching for drug candidates among the millions of potential compounds can be greatly accelerated using World Community Grid, compared to using conventional laboratory work or the limited resources typically available to the researchers.

What is the difference between influenza immunizations and antiviral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza?

Influenza vaccine injections give your body immunity to the particular strains of influenza virus that the specific vaccine was manufactured to address. Once a person receives this vaccine, immunization for those strains typically lasts for many years. However, this immunization usually does not work for new strains. Because influenza mutates rapidly, new strains are formed all of the time. Influenza antiviral drugs are used to treat sever cases of the disease once a person has contracted an influenza strain for which he or she is not immune. Antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir (commercial name Tamiflu) and zanamivir (commercial name Relenza) help retard the spread of the virus in the body, once a patient has contracted influenza. However, these drugs are not effective against all types of influenza and in addition new drug-resistant strains are evolving. This is why this type of antiviral research is important. The antiviral drugs should only be used under the guidance of a doctor because other uses can encourage drug resistant strains of the virus to develop.

How do I keep from getting H1N1 influenza?

There is no guaranteed way to avoid getting influenza. However, the following CDC guidelines of everyday actions could help you stay healthy:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

I think I may have H1N1 influenza. What should I do?

We recommend that you check with your doctor and visit the following sites for advice:

• World Health Organization - FLUNET
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

What is the first picture on the Influenza Antiviral Drug Search detail page?

This is an image of the project's seal/icon and was designed by Tzintzuni Garcia and Robert Malmstrom. The background contains a stylized influenza virus particle with its characteristic spikes. The eight gray bars inside the particle represent eight segments of the influenza genome. The stylized virus particle is overlaid with the image of a compound signifying the search for an antiviral drug.