rdrp-not-present-in-host-cells-which-antiviral-strategy-is-most-rational-and-why

Question

A newly characterized virus isolated from patients is an enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus that replicates entirely in the cytoplasm and encodes an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) not present in host cells. Which antiviral strategy is most rational and why?

Accepted Answer

Develop nucleoside analogs targeting the viral RdRp to be incorporated into nascent viral RNA, because the RdRp is virus-specific and absent from host cells, maximizing selective toxicity.

Answer

Design drugs that inhibit host mitochondrial DNA polymerase because mitochondrial dysfunction during viral infection will preferentially kill infected cells and therefore reduce viral spread with minimal systemic effects.

Answer

Create antibody therapies targeting host cytokines to reduce inflammation, which will eliminate virus replication by removing all inflammatory mediators that the virus exploits for replication in the cytoplasm.

Answer

Use DNA polymerase inhibitors because blocking host DNA synthesis will prevent cellular proliferation and thus indirectly stop viral replication in all infected tissues without needing to target any virus-specific enzyme.