title: Anti-viral agents: potential utility in exacerbations of asthma.
abstract: Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease and its prevalence is on the increase. Respiratory viral infections in early life have been suggested to increase the risk of development of asthma in later life and virus infection remains the single greatest precipitant of asthma exacerbations. The development of effective anti-viral treatments remains a key target for therapeutic intervention. Here we discuss the role of respiratory viral infection in asthma exacerbation and highlight current and potential anti-viral agents and their mechanisms of action.
authors.affiliation: Airway Disease Infection Section, National Heart Lung Institute, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Jaideep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dhariwal
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Sebastian L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents