ABSTRACT
Recent advances in the development of antiviral therapy have made prompt and accurate diagnosis of viral infections essential for optimal patient care. The proliferation of antiviral agents over the past two decades has revolutionized therapy. While the first antiviral agents were approved for use in the United States in the 1960s, the introduction of acyclovir in the 1980s resulted in rapid development of new antiviral drugs. Currently, licensed antiviral drugs include those active against herpes viruses [herpes simplex viruses (HSV), varicella zoster virus (VZV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV)], respiratory viruses [influenza A virus, influenza B virus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)], hepatitis B and C viruses, human papillomaviruses (HPV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The development of new antiviral agents continues to be a constant and active area of research and development.
