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A virus is a non-cellular life form that contains only one nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) and must be parasitic in living cells. Its replication, transcription and translation capabilities are carried out in the host cell, and when it enters the host cell, it completes its own life activities by using the materials and energy in the host cell, and replicates to produce a new generation of viruses similar to itself according to the genetic information contained in its own nucleic acid.

Viruses rely on the enzyme system of the host cell to synthesize nucleic acids and proteins within the host cell under the regulation of the genetic information provided by their genes. Subsequently, the virus assembles into a mature infectious virion in the cytoplasm and is eventually released outside the cell in various ways to infect other cells.

Influenza, caused by the influenza virus, remains a significant global health challenge, largely due to the virus's ability to continuously evolve. Despite the availability of vaccines and antiviral medications, effectively managing influenza requires a comprehensive understanding of the virus's characteristics, life cycle, and treatment options.

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a distressing viral infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). This condition, marked by a painful, blistering rash, primarily affects older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems. This article explores the underlying mechanisms of shingles, its causes, and the pivotal role of antiviral agents in its management, highlighting their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and therapeutic significance.

As the viral infection spreads across the world, humans have worse health issues than ever. Modern medicine has achieved great feats in antiviral therapy, but drug resistance and adverse effects led researchers to focus on natural antiviral molecules. Antiviral natural treatments use chemicals obtained from plants, animals or bacteria and can become a valuable addition to viral infection prevention and treatment because they are so toxicity-free and multifunctional.

Viral infections can be combated with antiviral drugs that target certain stages of the viral cycle. These drugs work by a variety of mechanisms to stop viral replication, make disease less painful and prevent infection. In this post, we discuss the 3 main mechanisms of action of antiviral agents, categorize antiviral drugs by mechanism and point to a few notable examples such as amantadine, interferon, ivermectin, molnupiravir, and zinc.

In infectious diseases, there are two major groups of medicines: antivirals and antibiotics, both of which combat germs. Both treat infections, but have very different mechanism of action, target organisms and applications. Antibiotics target bacteria while antivirals treat viruses. Not only does this distinction matter for treatment success but also in the face of challenges such as drug resistance.

Ivermectin is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic medication which has been used for several parasitic infections. Developed first in the 1970s, it was praised for treating parasitic disease, such as river blindness (onchocerciasis), lymphatic filariasis and scabies. It's part of a group of drugs called avermectins, made from the bacterium Streptomyces avermitilis.

Valacyclovir is an antiviral drug that is very popular for viral infections due to viruses in the herpesvirus group and beyond. This article examines the therapeutic uses, mechanism of action and comparisons between valacyclovir and its competitors for treating many different viral infections.

Pneumonia is a common but serious respiratory infection where inflammation of the lungs generally occurs in the alveoli (tiny sacs that pump out air). These are either bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other microorganisms which cause coughing, fever, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Pneumonia can be either mild or life-threatening, depending on the cause and the individual patient's age and immune profile.