PMID: 22568134May 10, 2012Paper

Anti alpha-herpesvirus drugs

Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine
Tetsuo Koshizuka, Tatsuo Suzutani

Abstract

Therapy for infectious diseases resulting from alpha-herpesvirus infections has been dramatically improved by the development of acyclovir (ACV). ACV is highly specific against herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) as ACV is specifically phosphorylated by the thymidine kinases (TKs) of these viruses. These viral TKs are important enzymes for viral replication in vivo; therefore, the growth of TK-deficient mutants is impaired. ACV-resistant viruses are rarely isolated from immunocompetent patients but are frequently obtained from immunocompromised patients. Recently, other anti alpha-herpesvirus drugs, such as valacyclovir and famciclovir, have become available for use in Japan, but the need to develop new antiherpetic compounds with different mechanisms of action remains.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antivirals

Antivirals are medications that are used specifically for treating viral infections. Discover the latest research on antivirals here.

Antivirals (ASM)

Antivirals are medications that are used specifically for treating viral infections. Discover the latest research on antivirals here.