Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Editors' Preface
- 1 The viruses in our past, the viruses in our future
- 2 Dynamics and epidemiological impact of microparasites
- 3 The continuing threat of bunyaviruses and hantaviruses
- 4 Calicivirus, myxoma virus and the wild rabbit in Australia: a tale of three invasions
- 5 Potential of influenza A viruses to cause pandemics
- 6 The hepatitis viruses as emerging agents of infectious diseases
- 7 The emergence of human immunodeficiency viruses and AIDS
- 8 Morbilliviruses: dangers old and new
- 9 Structure–function analysis of prion protein
- 10 Endogenous retroviruses and xenotransplantation
- 11 Gammaherpesviral infections and neoplasia in immunocompromised populations
- 12 Structure and function of the proteins of Marburg and Ebola viruses
- 13 Epidemic dengue/dengue haemorrhagic fever as a public health problem in the 21st century
- 14 Borna disease virus – a threat for human mental health?
- 15 Antiviral drug development and the impact of drug resistance
- Index
15 - Antiviral drug development and the impact of drug resistance
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 July 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Editors' Preface
- 1 The viruses in our past, the viruses in our future
- 2 Dynamics and epidemiological impact of microparasites
- 3 The continuing threat of bunyaviruses and hantaviruses
- 4 Calicivirus, myxoma virus and the wild rabbit in Australia: a tale of three invasions
- 5 Potential of influenza A viruses to cause pandemics
- 6 The hepatitis viruses as emerging agents of infectious diseases
- 7 The emergence of human immunodeficiency viruses and AIDS
- 8 Morbilliviruses: dangers old and new
- 9 Structure–function analysis of prion protein
- 10 Endogenous retroviruses and xenotransplantation
- 11 Gammaherpesviral infections and neoplasia in immunocompromised populations
- 12 Structure and function of the proteins of Marburg and Ebola viruses
- 13 Epidemic dengue/dengue haemorrhagic fever as a public health problem in the 21st century
- 14 Borna disease virus – a threat for human mental health?
- 15 Antiviral drug development and the impact of drug resistance
- Index
Summary
INTRODUCTION
Until recently, the clinical management of viral diseases depended largely on palliative measures designed to alleviate symptoms. Infections were to be avoided if at all possible or, if they could not be avoided, they were to be endured until they naturally resolved. There is, however, a long and impressive history of protection against viral diseases. The Chinese introduced inoculation against smallpox almost a thousand years ago, and they established the principle that priming of the immune system could prevent the more serious consequences of viral infection. This principle has been extensively exploited in modern times with the introduction of effective vaccines to prevent many of the more significant human viral diseases (Hilleman, 1998; Nossal, 1998; Ruff, 1999).
The power of vaccination is most dramatically demonstrated by the fact that for the first time man has been able to intervene successfully to eradicate an infectious disease from the human population. A campaign run by the World Health Organization in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s resulted in the global eradication of smallpox with the last human case recorded in 1978. A similar campaign is under way to attempt the eradication of poliomyelitis and has involved mass vaccination of many millions of children (Hull et al., 1997). Although the disease has now been eradicated from many parts of the world, it remains in several regions that are plagued by warfare and civil disruption, and the final goal may still be several years away.
Despite the impressive achievements of vaccination programmes, especially in the control of childhood diseases, for many viral diseases the development of vaccines has proven extremely difficult.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- New Challenges to HealthThe Threat of Virus Infection, pp. 311 - 340Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001