Frequently used antiviral agents in the clinical environment

ABSTRACT

More than 60 antiviral agents for various infectious diseases such as herpes, hepatitis, influenza, and AIDS are currently prescribed worldwide. Among the viral infections, hepatitis B and influenza are those frequently seen in primary care situations in Korea. This review discusses the anti-hepatitis B (HBV) drugs entecavir and adefovir, and the anti-influenza drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. In addition, the pharmacology and therapeutic guidance suggested by the Korean Association for the Study of the Liver were reviewed for entecavir and adepovir, the most frequently prescribed anti-HBV drugs. For influenza, oseltamivir is commonly used despite debates on neuropsychiatric safety issues and zanamivir may be used when an inhalation form is necessary. Although currently used drugs show considerable clinical efficacy, efforts to optimize their use and further research to find new molecules that may overcome their limitations are necessary.