Dawaa Reference

infectious

Influenza (seasonal, outpatient)

Treatment options, dosing, cautions and Egyptian brands from the shipped Dawaa Reference card.

Evidence status

Checked against the sources named below

Sources3 sources

TAMIFLU (oseltamivir phosphate) US prescribing information, section 2.2 Recommended Dosage for Treatment of Influenza and Table 1 (DailyMed SetID ee3c9555-60f2-4f82-a760-11983c86e97b) · IDSA Guidelines for Influenza 2019 · MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)

Verified against2 documents
  • TAMIFLU (oseltamivir phosphate) US prescribing information, section 2.2 Recommended Dosage for Treatment of Influenza and Table 1 (DailyMed SetID ee3c9555-60f2-4f82-a760-11983c86e97b)
  • MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)

Verified date2026-08

Presentation reference

Is it this?

Reference only, to read alongside your own examination.

Symptoms — what the patient reports (3)

  • Patients who had the seasonal vaccine tend to have milder illness and fewer complications
  • Mild illness brings cough, fever, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, a runny nose and red, congested eyes [cough · fever · headache · muscle pain · runny nose · sore throat]
  • A frontal or behind-the-eye headache with light sensitivity or eye pain is a common presentation [eye pain · headache · photophobia]

Signs — what you find (1)

  • Severe disease can progress to breathlessness, a fast heart rate and low blood pressure, sometimes needing respiratory support within 48 hours [breathlessness · hypotension · tachycardia]

Tests (6)

  • Diagnosis is usually made clinically during flu season; most cases don't need lab confirmation
  • In high-risk patients treatment shouldn't be held up waiting for test results
  • Rapid or standard molecular PCR assays are preferred, being highly sensitive and specific and able to tell influenza A from B
  • Rapid antigen tests give a result within 15 minutes and are highly specific, but only low-to-moderately sensitive
  • Viral culture is the most specific option but takes several days, so it doesn't aid rapid diagnosis
  • A chest x-ray is obtained in patients with pulmonary symptoms to rule out bacterial pneumonia

If not this — what else fits (3)

  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome, adenovirus, arenaviruses and cytomegalovirus are also on the differential
  • Dengue, echovirus infection, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and HIV infection are also considered
  • Legionnaires disease and human parainfluenza virus round out the differential list

SourceStatPearls "Influenza" - disease-level clinical article

Presentation findings are traced to the source above.

1

OSELTAMIVIR

1st line

Strength75 mg

Formoral.solid

Adult dose and duration

75 mg twice daily orally (start within 48 hours of symptom onset for maximum benefit) x 5 days

Paediatric dose

(Infants 2 weeks to <1 year: 3 mg/kg/dose twice daily for 5 days. Children 1-12 years dosed by weight twice daily for 5 days: 15 kg or less: 30 mg; 15.1-23 kg: 45 mg; 23.1-40 kg: 60 mg; 40.1 kg or more: 75 mg.)

Dose by age
2 weeks to under 1 year:3 mg/kg per dose twice daily for 5 days, from 2 weeks of age
1 to 12 years:Twice daily for 5 days by weight: 15 kg or less, 30 mg; 15.1 to 23 kg, 45 mg; 23.1 to 40 kg, 60 mg; 40.1 kg or more, 75 mg
Dose source

TAMIFLU (oseltamivir phosphate) US prescribing information, section 2.2 Recommended Dosage for Treatment of Influenza and Table 1 (DailyMed SetID ee3c9555-60f2-4f82-a760-11983c86e97b)

Why

First-line oral neuraminidase inhibitor antiviral registered and widely available in Egypt (Tamiflu, Epimiraflu) for high-risk or severe outpatient influenza

Cautions
  • Start as early as possible, ideally within 48 hours of symptom onset; clinical benefit decreases significantly when started after 48h in uncomplicated low-risk cases.
  • May cause nausea and vomiting; administration with food improves tolerability.
  • Adjust dose in renal impairment (reduce dose if CrCl <60 mL/min).
  • Contraindicated in patients with known serious hypersensitivity to oseltamivir.
  • Monitor for neuropsychiatric events (confusion, abnormal behavior), particularly in pediatric patients.
Egyptian brands
Egyptian brandManufacturerIndicative price
TAMINIL-N 75 MG 10 CAPS.EL NILE.200.00 EGP (20.00/unit)
EPIMIRAFLU 75 MG 10 CAPS.EIPICO202.00 EGP (20.20/unit)
TAMILAVIR 75 MG 10 CAPS.EVA PHARMA242.00 EGP (24.20/unit)
OSELTAMIVIR 75 MG 10 CAPS.ARAB CAPS > ACDIMA INTERNATIONAL TRADING288.00 EGP (28.80/unit)
TAMIFLU 75MG 10 CAPS.F.HOFFMAN LA ROCHE345.00 EGP (34.50/unit)
TAMINIL-N 12MG/ML SUSP. 30 ML? strength differs? different route - not oral solidEL NILE.123.50 EGP
TAMINIL-N 12MG/ML SUSP. 60 ML? strength differs? different route - not oral solidEL NILE.238.00 EGP
2

PARACETAMOL

add-on - not a substitute

Strength500 mg

Formoral.solid

Adult dose and duration

500-1000 mg three or four times a day PRN for fever, headache, and myalgia (max 4000 mg/day) - According to clinical response

Paediatric dose

10-15 mg/kg/dose [child max 500 mg]

(Every 4-6 hours PRN (max 60 mg/kg/day or 4000 mg/day) Under 1 month: 10 mg/kg 3 or 4 times daily, maximum 40 mg/kg/day (MSF Essential Drugs 2024).)

Dose by weight
3kg30-45 mg/dose
4kg40-60 mg/dose
5kg50-75 mg/dose
6kg60-90 mg/dose
7kg70-105 mg/dose
8kg80-120 mg/dose
9kg90-135 mg/dose
10kg100-150 mg/dose
11kg110-165 mg/dose
12kg120-180 mg/dose
13kg130-195 mg/dose
14kg140-210 mg/dose
15kg150-225 mg/dose
16kg160-240 mg/dose
17kg170-255 mg/dose
18kg180-270 mg/dose
19kg190-285 mg/dose
20kg200-300 mg/dose
21kg210-315 mg/dose
22kg220-330 mg/dose
23kg230-345 mg/dose
24kg240-360 mg/dose
25kg250-375 mg/dose
26kg260-390 mg/dose
27kg270-405 mg/dose
28kg280-420 mg/dose
29kg290-435 mg/dose
30kg300-450 mg/dose
31kg310-465 mg/dose
32kg320-480 mg/dose
33kg330-495 mg/dose
34kg340-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
35kg350-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
36kg360-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
37kg370-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
38kg380-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
39kg390-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
40kg400-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
41kg410-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
42kg420-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
43kg430-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
44kg440-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
45kg450-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
46kg460-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
47kg470-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
48kg480-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
49kg490-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
50kg500 mg/dose (capped)
Dose source

MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)

Why

Analgesic and antipyretic added to rest and fluids for symptomatic relief of fever, headache, and myalgia in influenza; it does not shorten the illness, and aspirin should be avoided in children because of Reye syndrome risk.

Cautions
  • Avoid aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) in children and adolescents with influenza due to the risk of Reye syndrome.
  • Do not exceed maximum daily dose (4 g/day in adults) to avoid liver toxicity.
  • 500 mg is the per-dose ceiling used here for a child. 1000 mg is the adult dose and does not belong in a weight calculation - the daily 60 mg/kg limit is the one that binds first in any case.
  • Administer with caution to patients with hepatic impairment.
Egyptian brands
Egyptian brandManufacturerIndicative price
FEBRIMOL 500 MG 20 TAB.PHARCO3.50 EGP (0.17/unit)
CETAMOL 500 MG 20 TABS.MEMPHIS8.00 EGP (0.40/unit)
PARACETAMOL-MUP 500MG B.P. 20 TABS.MUP13.00 EGP (0.65/unit)
CETAL 500 MG 20 TABS.EIPICO24.00 EGP (1.20/unit)
ARKADOLOW 500 MG 30 F.C. TABS.UTOPIA42.00 EGP (1.40/unit)
PARAMOL 500MG 20 TAB.MISR38.00 EGP (1.90/unit)
ADOL 500MG 24 CAPLETSJULPHAR32.00 EGP
AUGICETAMIDE 500 MG 20 SACHETSAUG PHARMA50.00 EGP
FEBRIMOL ORAL DROPS 20 ML? strength differs? different route - not oral solidPHARCO4.00 EGP
THERA-LO 3.2G/100ML ORAL SUSP. 100 ML? strength differs? different route - not oral solidPHAROPHARMA5.00 EGP

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.