London, July 28 - If the current swine flu pandemic behaves like the 1918 flu, anti-viral treatment may not be very effective in the case of those above 65, according to the latest research.

Researchers found that, in this situation, it would not significantly reduce mortality among them and could lead to an increase in resistance.

Stefano Merler, from the Bruno Kessler Foundation in Italy, worked with researchers from the Instituto Superiore di Sanita to model the effect of anti-viral treatment on the spread of influenza.

'Although it is too early to confidently predict some important features of the ongoing influenza pandemic, the use of anti-virals is confirmed to be the most effective single intervention, in the absence of vaccines,' Merler said.