Problems of Antiviral Therapy Viral infection is detected too late in the course of disease Massive proliferation and overwhelming intervention -virus hijack host cells Rapid evolution of viruses- high mutation rate of viral nucleic acid polymerases compare Virus error in hivrt 1 in 106 virions Host error in host polymerase 109 cellsProblems of Antiviral Therapy • Viral infection is detected too late in the course of disease. • Massive proliferation and overwhelming intervention – virus “hijack” host cells • Rapid evolution of viruses – high mutation rate of viral nucleic acid polymerases: compare: Virus ……………….error in HIV RT 1 in 106 virions Host ………………error in host polymerase 109 cells