Antivirals

Antivirals

To the tune of “A Diagnosis” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

[Verse 1]
Compounds that interfere with virus growth
Can adversely affect the host
Because the life cycle of viruses relies
Viruses have very few unique targets
Side effects are really quite common
Because viral replication uses host enzymes

[Pre-Chorus] 
There must be full inhibition
Of viral replication

[Chorus]
By antivirals
By antivirals
They are most viable
Against persistence
Very few are available on market
They can stop infection once it’s started
An arm of viral defense is antivirals

[Verse 2]
Acute infections are problematic
For antiviral development
By the time there are symptoms virus production
Has already started to slow
Patients have a reduced viral load
It is too late for clinical outcomes

[Pre-Chorus]
Giving them prophylactically
Can cause issues with safety

 [Chorus]
Most antivirals
Target the part of the life cycle
That is involved in genome replication
Here there may unique enzymes
Specific targets can be identified
But this is less effective for DNA viruses

 [Bridge]
Antivirals must contend with
A very high rate of mutation
RNA viruses are quite error prone
And lack mechanisms for correction
There is about one mistake made
Per ten thousand nucleotides incorporated

[Outro]
This why more than one must be taken
To prevent the development of resistance
We can prolong survival
With antivirals