Covering the discovery of nucleosides to combat herpes virus infections, this book includes advances in the understanding of HIV in particular, and of viruses in general, which have led to a rapid increase in the number of experimental chemotherapeutic agents to treat HIV and other viral infections.

This text is part of the "Biochemical and Medicinal Chemistry Series". Series Editor: John Mann, Professor of Organic Chemistry, University of Reading. The aim of this series of short textbooks is to present full accounts of topics, which are at the interface of chemistry and biology, from medicinal chemistry to molecular biology. The topics chosen for inclusion are popular subjects for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate modular courses, and yet they receive inadequate coverage in traditional textbooks of organic chemistry and of biochemistry. Each text in the series provides a concise and up to date introduction to its subject in an attractive format. Viral diseases have been the scourges of mankind throughout evolution, causing unpleasant and sometimes fatal diseases. Advances in the understanding of the genetic make-up of viruses and of the precise function of their proteins has led in recent years to the emergence of antiviral chemotherapy as one of the fastest growing scientific and commercial areas of drug therapy. This introduction to the field covers the discovery of nucleosides to combat herpes virus infections; advances in the understanding of HIV in particular, and of viruses in general, which have led to a rapid increase in the number of experimental chemotherapeutic agents to treat HIV and other viral infections; progress in the treatment of viral respiratory ailments, such as the common cold and influenza; and the many viral agents responsible for hepatitis. The first three chapters of this book give an introduction to viruses through their occurrence, biology and biochemistry. An awareness of the concepts introduced in these chapters is fundamental to an understanding of the rationales used in the design of chemotherapeutic agents. A chapter on nucleic acids, particularly nucleosides, follows, which deals with such molecules, the most important viral chemotherapeutic targets, from the point of view of medicinal chemists. In the main body of chapters, chemotherapeutic approaches to important individual groups and families of viruses are discussed, with a closing chapter, which highlights potential areas for future progress in the field. This text is suitable for upper-level undergraduate courses given to chemists, biochemists, microbiologists, pharmacologists, and medical students. Postgraduates and entrants to the pharmaceutical industry will find it an invaluable introduction to the area.