Antivirals

Question 1

which drugs do we use for herpes simplex virus and VZV?

Answer 1

aciclovir, famciclovir, valciclovir

Question 2

what is the difference between ganciclovir and valganciclovir?

Answer 2

valganciclovir is a prodrug of ganciclovir. is converted to ganciclovir via hydrolysis

Question 3

what do we use ganciclovir for?

Answer 3

CMV retinitis in immunosuppressed patients

Question 4

what do we use valganciclovir?

Answer 4

CMV retinitis in immunosuppressed patients and post organ transplant CMV prophylaxis

Question 5

what is a SE of ganciclovir?

Answer 5

bone marrow suppression

Question 6

how does acyclovir work

Answer 6

analogue of adenine and when it forms acyclovir triphosphate it is a competitive inhibitor of DNA polymerase in HSV infected cells