[Present state of antiviral therapy (author's transl)].

Application of antiviral drugs in viral infections is still limited to few diseases. Most of the preparations available induce strong side effects since these substances not only interfere with virus replication but also with cell metabolism. Therefore, only in severe diseases such as herpes simplex encephalitis or complications of varizella zoster infection such a treatment is advisable. From a clinical point of view an antiviral drug would be desirable which selectively inhibitis virus growths without affecting the host. This can already be achieved with interferon. However, at the present time the quantities of interferon needed for such treatment are not available.