The first cases of drug-resistant H7N9 influenza virus infection were recently reported in a hospital in Shanghai, China. Isolates were obtained from three patients who failed to clear the infection after antiviral treatment, and genetic testing revealed that the viruses carried a neuraminidase mutation that is typically associated with drug resistance. Antiviral drugs are currently the only option to treat H7N9 influenza infections; however, the first candidate vaccines were recently reported by the WHO. Recombinant viruses containing synthetic H7N9 haemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes have been developed and are now available for vaccine manufacturers, and the development of a live-attenuated vaccine is also underway. WHO/BBC News