“The single biggest threat to man’s continued dominance on the planet is a virus.” — JOSHUA LEDERBERG, Nobel Laureate

Humankind has developed two major tools to combat viruses, vaccines and traditional antiviral drugs. However, these tools are not enough to answer the viral threat. We cannot adequately vaccinate against viruses that mutate rapidly, like HIV, Hepatitis C, and Flu.

Pandemic flu killed 20-100 million people in 1918 and is an ever present modern day threat. Swine flu (H1N1) has caused a serious outbreak. We have no antiviral drugs to answer lethal emerging viruses like Ebola, SARS, and Dengue. Major killers in the developing world continue to include HIV, Diarrheal Viruses, Flu and Measles. There is still no cure for the Common Cold.

Traditional antiviral drugs target viral proteins or viral nucleic acids. However, viruses are constantly mutating to evade the drug and replicate. As a result, what antiviral drugs we do have often become less effective in a relatively short time. In addition, traditional antiviral drugs are inadequate to anticipate newly emerging viruses or viruses created by terrorists.

Above: HIV and Rhinovirus evading antibodies on their way to infect cells.

Viruses are constantly mutating. As a result, the antiviral drugs currently available often become less effective in a relatively short time. Viral resistance to the drug is the likely result.

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