Abstract
These are exciting days for virologists, especially those interested in antiviral chemotherapy. The development of clinically effective antivirals, particularly for the herpes group viruses, is finally being realized. Vidarabine has been shown to be effective in decreasing the mortality from herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis, neonatal herpes, and varicella zoster infections in some immunosuppressed populations.<sup>1,2</sup>Similarly, acyclovir has been shown to be effective in shortening the course of first and recurrent episodes of mucocutaneous HSV and varicella zoster infections in both normal and immunosuppressed patients.<sup>3</sup>Interferon preparations are under study in a wide variety of settings, and reports about the clinical use of antivirals appear nearly monthly. The number of compounds being reported with in vitro activity against the herpes group viruses is increasing exponentially, some the result of planned sequential development and some discovered serendipitously.<sup>2</sup>Adenosine monophosphate (AMP), a purine nucleotide that is an intermediate in
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