Final answer:
Antiviral medications are used to prevent viral replication in cell division by blocking the actions of viral proteins. They are specific for certain viruses and do not harm healthy host cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
Antiviral medications are used to prevent viral replication in cell division. These drugs inhibit the virus by blocking the actions of one or more of its proteins. It is important that the targeted proteins be encoded by viral genes and not present in a healthy host cell. Antiviral drugs can be specific for a particular virus or affect multiple viruses.