antivirals

Question 1

oseltamivir

Answer 1

NEURAMINIDASE INHIBITOR

used for INFLUENZA (covers A and B types)

mech = inhibition of neuraminidase prevents the cleavage of sialic acid from the cell surface and therefore newly formed viruses are not able to be released

Question 2

amantadine

Answer 2

M2 INHIBITOR

used for INFLUENZA (only A type–> seasonal H1N1)

mech = inhibits the M2 ion channel which acidifies the virion allowing for uncoating of the virus

taken orally

Question 3

Acyclovir

Answer 3

NUCLEOSIDE ANALOGS

Acyclovir and valacyclovir are used for HSV and VZV
Ganciclovir is used for CMV

Inactive versus latent infections

mech = stops viral DNA replication; acyclovir –> (active) acyclovir triphosphate–> competes with dGTP as substrate for viral DNA polymerase and acts as chain terminator once incorporated into the replicating viral DNA

doesn’t need a viral thymidine kinase (utilizes host kinase to activate the prodrug)

Question 4

Classes of most commonly used ARVs for HIV

Answer 4

1. nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)
2. non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)
3. protease inhibitors (PIs)
4. fusion inhibitors
5. CCR5 receptor antagonists
6. integrase inhibitors