Antiviral agents and vaccine
,Antiviral agent
• Antiviral agents are drugs approved by the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) for the
treatment or control of viral infections.
• Antiviral drugs are a class of medication used
specifically for treating viral infections.
• Like antibiotics for bacteria, specific antivirals
are used for specific viruses.
• Unlike most antibiotics, antiviral drugs do not
destroy their target pathogen; instead they
inhibit their development
,Antiviral agent…
• Viruses are complicated chemotherapy targets for several reasons. Since viruses rely
on host cells’ machinery to function, the selective pharmacologic destruction of a
virus without destroying human cells is difficult.
• Early treatment is critical, but frequently not possible because viral replication often
peaks before clinical symptoms develop.
• Many antiviral agents also rely on a normal immune system to destroy the virus.
Thus, immune suppression often lengthens viral illnesses.
• Finally, mutations that cause changes in viral structure and enzymes often lead to the
emergence of drugresistant viral strains.
• Some viruses (influenza A and B, hepatitis B virus [HBV]) can be effectively controlled
by vaccines
, • Antiviral drugs can potentially exert their actions at s
everal stages of viral replication, including;
• (1) viral attachment and entry into the host cell;
• (2)uncoating of viral nucleic acid;
• (3) synthesis of early viral regulatory proteins;
• (4) synthesis of RNA or DNA nucleic acids;
• (5) late protein synthesis and processing;
• (6) viral packaging and assembly, and
• (7) virion release
,Antiviral agent
• Antiviral agents are drugs approved by the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) for the
treatment or control of viral infections.
• Antiviral drugs are a class of medication used
specifically for treating viral infections.
• Like antibiotics for bacteria, specific antivirals
are used for specific viruses.
• Unlike most antibiotics, antiviral drugs do not
destroy their target pathogen; instead they
inhibit their development
,Antiviral agent…
• Viruses are complicated chemotherapy targets for several reasons. Since viruses rely
on host cells’ machinery to function, the selective pharmacologic destruction of a
virus without destroying human cells is difficult.
• Early treatment is critical, but frequently not possible because viral replication often
peaks before clinical symptoms develop.
• Many antiviral agents also rely on a normal immune system to destroy the virus.
Thus, immune suppression often lengthens viral illnesses.
• Finally, mutations that cause changes in viral structure and enzymes often lead to the
emergence of drugresistant viral strains.
• Some viruses (influenza A and B, hepatitis B virus [HBV]) can be effectively controlled
by vaccines
, • Antiviral drugs can potentially exert their actions at s
everal stages of viral replication, including;
• (1) viral attachment and entry into the host cell;
• (2)uncoating of viral nucleic acid;
• (3) synthesis of early viral regulatory proteins;
• (4) synthesis of RNA or DNA nucleic acids;
• (5) late protein synthesis and processing;
• (6) viral packaging and assembly, and
• (7) virion release
