Final answer:
Antibiotics are not used to treat active viral diseases; they are intended to treat bacterial infections. Antiviral drugs like Tamiflu and interferons can treat viral infections, whereas vaccines primarily prevent viral diseases but can be used as a treatment in some cases.
Step-by-step explanation:
The treatment option that is NOT used to treat active viral disease is antibiotics. Antibiotics are effective against bacterial infections but have no impact on viral infections. On the other hand, antiviral drugs are medications developed to treat symptoms or control viral diseases. For example, Tamiflu and Relenza function by preventing the influenza virus from escaping host cells. While vaccines primarily prevent the onset of viral diseases, they can occasionally boost immunity in cases of active infections, such as with rabies. Interferons, which are part of the innate immune system and are also the first antiviral drug, have been used to treat viral diseases by boosting the body's immune response to infections, especially viral infections.
The correct answer is a) Antibiotics. Antibiotics are not used to treat active viral diseases. Antibiotics work by targeting and killing bacteria, but they are ineffective against viruses. Antiviral drugs, on the other hand, are designed specifically to treat viral infections by inhibiting the growth and replication of viruses. Vaccines stimulate the immune system to recognize and destroy viruses, while interferons are proteins that help the body's immune response against viruses.