Antiviral Medications Quiz

Acyclovir is the preferred treatment for severe or difficult HSV infections, like encephalitis or outbreaks in HIV patients. It's also effective in treating genital herpes (HSV-2) and preventing outbreaks, as well as treating VZV infections.

CMV is a common virus that can cause end-organ diseases such as retinitis, colitis, esophagitis, CNS disease, and pneumonitis. In healthy individuals, CMV is usually harmless, but it can be severe in pregnant women and immunocompromised people.

Ganciclovir, Valganciclovir, and Cidofovir all work by preventing viral replication. However, they also have significant toxicity and require careful monitoring.

Ganciclovir is a nucleoside analogue that gets incorporated into viral DNA after phosphorylation, blocking DNA polymerase and stopping viral replication.

Valganciclovir is a pro-drug of ganciclovir, meaning it's converted into ganciclovir in the body to exert its antiviral effects.

Cidofovir is a nucleotide analogue with a similar mechanism to ganciclovir, also interfering with viral DNA synthesis. It's also a potent antiviral for CMV infections.

Ganciclovir is much more active against CMV than acyclovir, offering up to 100 times the potency. It can be administered intravenously, orally, or through an intraocular implant. Oral bioavailability is low, and CSF concentrations are about half of serum levels.

The elimination half-life of Ganciclovir is approximately 4 hours, with a longer intracellular half-life of 16-24 hours. Its clearance is directly related to creatinine clearance.

A serious condition where the body's calcium levels drop too low. It can be caused by the use of certain medications that bind to calcium, preventing its absorption.

A type of drug that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria.

The use of multiple medications together to treat a condition, often to enhance effectiveness and reduce the risk of resistance.

An enzyme found in some viruses, including CMV, involved in the replication process.

A drug that blocks the function of an enzyme called thymidine kinase, which is important for the reproduction of certain viruses, particularly cytomegalovirus (CMV).

A powerful antibiotic that can damage the kidneys.

A drug used to treat CMV infection in people who have received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

A drug used to treat CMV infection in people who have received a transplant.

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are a class of antiretroviral drugs that block the activity of HIV reverse transcriptase by binding to a different site on the enzyme compared to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).

Efavirenz, etravirine, rilpivirine, and nevirapine are common examples of NNRTIs used in HIV treatment.

NNRTIs bind to the reverse transcriptase enzyme, causing a conformational change that hinders its ability to convert viral RNA into DNA.

NNRTIs can cause metabolic side effects like lipohypertrophy and hyperlipidemia.

Efavirenz and nevirapine have been associated with an increased risk of hyperlipidemia, while rilpivirine has shown less impact on lipid profiles.

NNRTIs can cause CNS effects like dizziness, drowsiness, insomnia, and vivid dreams, particularly with efavirenz.

Rashes are a potential side effect with all NNRTIs, and hepatotoxicity is also a risk.

NNRTIs have a low genetic barrier to resistance, meaning a single mutation can lead to high-level resistance. Strict adherence is crucial to prevent resistance.

Adefovir dipivoxil is a prodrug of adefovir that competitively inhibits the HBV DNA polymerase. This inhibition results in chain termination after adefovir is incorporated into the viral DNA, preventing viral replication.

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) target the HCV-encoded proteins vital for the virus's replication. DAAs are classified into four groups: NS3/4A protease inhibitors, NS5B nucleoside polymerase inhibitors, NS5B non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitors, and NS5A inhibitors.

CMV retinitis is a serious infection of the retina caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV). It often occurs in people with weakened immune systems, like those with HIV/AIDS. Ganciclovir is the most effective treatment for CMV retinitis.

Peginterferon alpha-2a (Peginterferon) and Peg-interferon alpha-2b (Peginterferon), along with Ribavirin, are the mainstays of chronic hepatitis C treatment. These medications are powerful antiviral agents that fight the virus.

The primary goal of hepatitis C treatment is viral eradication. This means completely eliminating the virus from the body to prevent long-term complications and liver damage.

They are inhibitors of neuraminidases which are enzymes produced by the influenza virus. Neuraminidases allow the virus to spread by cleaving sialic acid residues from the surface of infected cells and this helps the virus to be released from the cell.

Oseltamivir is a prodrug that is activated in the gut and liver. It works by blocking the release of new virus particles and prevents the virus from attaching to healthy cells.

Zanamivir is inhaled and works in a similar fashion to oseltamivir by blocking the release of new virus particles and preventing the virus from spreading to other healthy cells.

These drugs are used to prevent infection or reduce symptoms. They are most effective when used within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. They can cause adverse effects like GI disturbances and cough.

IFN-α is a cytokine that increases the activity of JAKs, leading to the formation of antiviral proteins. It also enhances the activity of natural killer cells that destroy infected liver cells.

It is a nucleoside analog that blocks viral DNA replication by getting incorporated into the viral DNA chain.

It is a potent antiviral against hepatitis B, used for treatment of chronic infections. It is particularly effective in patients with resistance to lamivudine.

It is a nucleoside analogue that inhibits the activity of DNA polymerase of the hepatitis B virus, resulting in suppression of viral replication.

Protease inhibitors are drugs that block the activity of the HIV protease enzyme, which is essential for the virus to mature and infect new cells.

All protease inhibitors require 'boosting' to increase their effectiveness and blood levels. This can be done by co-administering a boosting agent like ritonavir or cobicistat.

Ritonavir and cobicistat are boosting agents that increase the effectiveness of protease inhibitors by slowing down their breakdown in the body.

Maraviroc is an entry inhibitor that blocks HIV from entering a cell by binding to the CCR5 receptor, a key protein involved in viral entry.

Enfuvirtide is a fusion inhibitor that prevents HIV from merging with the cell membrane by blocking the interaction of gp41 with the host cell membrane.

Tropism testing is a test that determines whether a patient's HIV virus primarily uses CCR5 or CXCR4 as its entry receptor. This information is crucial for determining if Maraviroc, which targets CCR5, is a suitable treatment option.

Entry and fusion inhibitors are a class of antiretroviral drugs that target the initial steps of HIV infection, preventing the virus from entering and infecting cells.

Entry and fusion inhibitors are an important part of HIV treatment, working in conjunction with other antiretrovirals to effectively suppress viral replication.