Final answer:
Nucleic acid synthesis inhibitors in antiviral medication treat both life-threatening and sight-threatening CMV infections by halting viral DNA replication. They chemically resemble DNA nucleosides, and once in the virus's DNA sequence, prevent the virus from reproducing. Antiviral medications like acyclovir and fomivirsen are examples of this mechanism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Purpose of Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors in Antiviral Medication
The purpose of nucleic acid synthesis inhibitors in antiviral medication is to treat both life-threatening and sight-threatening cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, such as retinitis. These inhibitors are designed to chemically resemble normal DNA nucleosides and, once incorporated into the growing DNA chain of the virus, they inhibit further viral DNA replication. This process halts the reproduction of the virus and helps in controlling the infection. For instance, medications like acyclovir and fomivirsen are used for this purpose. Acyclovir interrupts the viral DNA synthesis by causing chain termination after being activated by the viral enzyme. Fomivirsen uses an antisense RNA mechanism to inhibit the replication of CMV.
Antiviral drugs like these target specific viral proteins that are essential for viral replication and are not found in healthy host cells, thus inhibiting viral growth without causing significant harm to the host. This precise targeting is crucial because it allows the drugs to be effective against the virus while minimizing potential damage to the patient's own cells.