Micro 40: Antiviral Agents and Infection Control

Clinical Deep Dives · Feb 22, 2026 · 46m

This episode explores antiviral therapy and infection control principles. Drawing from Murray’s Chapter 40, it examines how antiviral agents differ fundamentally from antibacterial drugs - because viruses replicate within host cells and rely on host machinery.

The narrative organises antivirals by replication step:

* Entry inhibitors

* Uncoating inhibitors

* Polymerase inhibitors

* Reverse transcriptase inhibitors

* Protease inhibitors

* Integrase inhibitors

* Neuraminidase inhibitors

Unlike broad-spectrum antibiotics, antivirals are often highly specific to viral families, targeting unique…