Antiviral agents

More than 30 drugs are approved for the therapy of viral infections. Althou gh dermatologists do not routinely prescribe all of these drugs, they will care for patients using these agents and, thus, need to be familiar with th em, and with their side effects and interactions. Most antiviral drugs are viristatic, not viricidal; therefore it is especially important to prevent viral diseases by public health measures and with vaccines.