Antivirals

What are antivirals?

Antivirals are medications that help your body fight off certain viruses that can cause disease. Antiviral drugs are also preventive. This means they can protect you from getting viral infections or spreading a virus to others. Healthcare providers sometimes call taking antivirals antiviral therapy.

What do antivirals treat?

Most viruses clear up without antiviral medications. Healthcare providers prescribe antivirals to treat life-threatening or chronic (long-term) viral infections, including:

• Coronaviruses like COVID-19.
• Ebola.
• Flu, including H1N1 (swine flu).
• Herpes.
• Hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
• Mpox.

What do antiviral drugs do?

Antiviral medications help your body fight off infections. They’re like extra reinforcements that work alongside your body’s natural defenses to keep you safe from the invading virus. They do this in three different ways:

• Blocking receptors so viruses can’t bind to and enter healthy cells in your body.
• Boosting your immune system (your body’s natural defense system) to help it fight off a viral infection.
• Lowering the viral load (amount of active virus) in your body.

How do you take antiviral drugs?

Most antivirals are oral drugs you swallow as pills. But you may also receive antiviral medications as:

• Eye drops.
• Inhaled powder.
• Injections (shots) into a muscle.
• IV (intravenous) infusions into a vein.
• Topical ointments or creams that you rub into your skin.

What are the benefits of taking antivirals?

Antivirals can reduce the severity of symptoms you experience and make some infections clear up (get better) faster than they would without treatment. In some cases, antiviral medications can save your life or prevent severe complications that the infection would cause if it wasn’t treated.

Can antivirals cure viral infections?

It depends on which type of viral infection you have. Some viral infections can be cured, but others cause chronic (long-term) conditions that we can’t cure yet.

Antivirals can eliminate some viruses like the flu and Ebola. They can rid your body of these viruses.

Viral infections like HIV, hepatitis and herpes are chronic. Antivirals can’t get rid of these viruses once you have them in your body. But antiviral medicines can make chronic viruses latent (inactive) so you have few, if any, symptoms. Symptoms that develop while you take antivirals may be less severe or go away faster.

Can antivirals prevent the spread of viral infections?

Yes, antiviral drugs can keep you from getting certain viral infections after you’re exposed to them. They can also reduce the risk that you spread an infection to others.

For example, taking antivirals:

• Within 48 hours (two days) of exposure to the flu may keep you from getting sick.
• Within 72 hours (three days) of a potential HIV exposure can lower the chances you get infected.
• Every day can lower the risk of passing herpes or HIV to others or getting them from a sexual partner who has it.
• During pregnancy lowers the risk of a pregnant woman passing a virus they have to the fetus (babies will also receive antivirals after they’re born).

Are antivirals safe?

Yes, antivirals are safe if you take them when a healthcare provider prescribes them to you. Make sure you follow all the instructions and take your antivirals as often (and for as long) as your provider prescribes.

It’s usually safe to take an antiviral along with other medications. But tell your provider about any other prescriptions you’re taking and any over-the-counter (OTC) medications or herbal supplements you use. They’ll tell you which medications or supplements you should change, stop using or temporarily avoid while you’re taking antivirals.

What are the side effects of antiviral drugs?

Antiviral side effects can vary depending on which medication you’re taking and how strong the dose is. You may experience:

• Cough.
• Dry mouth.
• Diarrhea.
• Dizziness.
• Fatigue.
• Headaches.
• Insomnia.
• Joint pain
• Muscle pain.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Skin rash.

Don’t stop taking your antiviral medication unless your provider tells you to, even if you’re experiencing side effects. Skipping doses or starting and stopping an antiviral medicine can allow a virus to adapt to the medication so it’s no longer effective (antiviral resistance). People who take antivirals for a long time to manage chronic infections are more likely to have antiviral resistance.

Talk to your healthcare provider about any potential side effects from your medications. They’ll let you know what to expect and will tell you when you should stop or change your medication’s dosage.

How long do you need to take antiviral medications?

How long you’ll need an antiviral varies depending on which medication you need and the infection you have. For example, you might only need a week or two of some oral medications. And some antivirals delivered via IV only need a single infusion.

If you have a chronic infection like HIV, you may need to take antivirals every day for the rest of your life. Daily doses of your medication can keep the virus from becoming active and reduce the chances it can pass to others.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Your provider will tell you when you’ll need follow-up appointments or tests. They’ll monitor your body for changes and make sure the antiviral is managing the infection you have. If you have a chronic condition, you’ll need regular checkups to manage the infection and check your overall health.

Talk to your provider if you experience severe side effects or if you notice new or worsening infection symptoms. Don’t stop taking your medication unless your provider says it’s safe to.

Healthcare providers and policymakers must do a good amount of the heavy lifting to change things on a global scale. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. There’s a lot you can do, too. Here are a few tips:

• Practice good hygiene. Protecting yourself from infection can help you avoid bacterial infections that need antibiotics. The more we use antibiotics as a society, the more the problem of antibiotic resistance can grow. Handwashing is one important step you can take. Your healthcare provider can offer additional advice.
• Only take antibiotics when you need them. Antibiotics don’t work against viral infections. But sometimes, bacterial and viral infections can have similar symptoms. So, you might think you need antibiotics when you don’t. If you’re sick, talk to your provider about the type of medication you need and why.
• Get the vaccines your healthcare provider recommends. Currently, there aren’t vaccines for most bacteria that cause antibiotic-resistant infections. An exception is the pneumococcal vaccine. This protects you against pneumococcal disease caused by S. pneumoniae. The vaccine is crucial for many groups of people, especially children under age 2 and adults age 65 and older. Other vaccines are also important, including those (like the flu shot) that protect against viral infections. Avoiding viral infections can prevent symptoms that may prompt unnecessary antibiotics.