Antiviral

From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history
(Redirected from Antiretroviral)

Antiviral drugs are a class of medication used specifically for treating viral infections, rather than bacterial, fungal or other infections. Most antivirals are used for a specific type of virus, while a broad-spectrum antiviral is effective against a wider range of viruses. Although there are a number of broad-spectrum antibiotics, there are very few broad-spectrum antiviral drugs, and the few in existence are generally only effective against a specific family of viruses.[citation needed]

Tenofovir and lamivudine are antiviral drugs which are designed for HIV, but may be effective against other retroviruses. In addition, it has shown in vitro efficacy against the Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and it may work against other herpes viruses as well. Tenofovir Alafenide (TAF) is the type of tenofovir which shows the greatest efficacy against EBV.

Valacyclovir is often used for Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) I and II, as well as for Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), another herpesviruses. Valganciclovir is used for a broader spectrum of herpesviruses, including HSV I and II, VZV, cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and is somewhat effective against Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV6). Ribavirin is an antiviral drug effective against RNA viruses, although it is rarely used due to its toxic side-effects. Other antiviral drugs that can be effective against RNA viruses include Ivermectin, Paxlovid, Maraviroc and other antivirals that are typically used to treat covid-19, HIV and other RNA viruses.

Evidence[edit | edit source]

Importance to ME/CFS[edit | edit source]

Studies[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]