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To: decimon

Drug-resistant? It’s a virus!! Antiviral are misnamed. Their totally ineffective. Drug-resistant!!?


3 posted on 12/21/2009 2:16:55 PM PST by Doc Savage (SOBAMP!)
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To: Doc Savage

Not really misnamed. Anti in its definitive form means to be against, or in opposition too. Antivirals act on bio-chemicals, such as enzymes or surface proteins, that compose part of the viruses. So they act against or in opposition to the virus in the way it operates.
As far as drug resistance goes it is also correct when looking at the word. Virus, in particular flu viruses, undergo antigenic shift which can make them immune to certain treatments such as neurominidase inhibitors and if a virus becomes immune to the ffect of a drug it is then called resistant.

I mean I could be wrong it has been a while since I took virology.


6 posted on 12/21/2009 2:39:54 PM PST by aft_lizard (Barack Obama is Hugo Chavez's poodle.)
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