Information On Antiviral Drugs

Viruses are micro-organisms that can infect the body with a lot of harmful effects. They can spread within the body and interfere with the normal working of the body. They take control of the cell, use the minerals of the cell for its reproduction and destroy the cell and lead to its malfunction.

They are essentially smaller than bacteria, which usually are present outside the cell and hence can be more easily destroyed, with far less consequences. To cure such viral infections or at least control them, antiviral drugs have been discovered. But, they are far more rare and difficult to make than antibacterial drugs. Antibiotics do not work on viral infections.

Antiviral drugs help to either strengthen the immunity of a cell to a virus or to destroy the reproduction of the virus and thus spread throughout the body. They can be taken by injections, ointments or by mouth; the latter being more common.

The antiviral drugs are only available on prescription by a doctor, who would advise the dosage of the drug according to the type of infection. Some antiviral drugs require constant presence in the blood stream and therefore need to be taken at regular intervals. Sometimes, the antiviral drugs need to be taken with food, while some others need to be taken in an empty stomach to have full effects. A doctor’s prescription should not be avoided and dosages should not be missed. Alcohol should not be consumed with the medicines.

Pregnant women or breast-feeding women need to be careful and let the doctor know of their physical status as antiviral drugs can have side-effects to some who are allergic.

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Information On Antiviral Drugs