BharatNotes Antiviral
adjective; also noun (countable)Usage in a UPSC answer
The development of India's domestically manufactured antiviral portfolio — from Molnupiravir to interferon-alpha nasal drops — underscored the strategic imperative of a self-reliant pharmaceutical ecosystem capable of responding to future pandemic threats.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
antiviral (adj/n), virus (n), viral (adj), virology (n), virologist (n), virulence (n)
Root
Greek anti- = against; Latin virus = poison, slime (used in virology since 1892 to denote submicroscopic infectious agents)
Etymology
Formed in English in the mid-20th century from the Greek prefix anti- ('against') and viral, the adjective from Latin virus ('poison'). The word virus was used in classical Latin to mean a slimy liquid or poison; it was repurposed in modern biology from the 1890s. The compound antiviral emerged in pharmacological literature of the 1950s as the first synthetic antivirals (e.g., idoxuridine, 1959) were developed.
Memory Hook
ANTI + VIRAL: think of a goalkeeper (anti) stopping a shot (viral attack). The 'anti' shield blocks the virus — same prefix used in antidote, antibiotic, anticlimax. Once you own anti- = against, the word family is yours.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
A drug that inhibits the replication of a virus rather than killing it outright. The distinction that GS3 questions turn on is that antibiotics have no effect on viruses, which is why prescribing them for viral illness contributes to antimicrobial resistance while doing nothing for the patient. Antivirals are also typically narrow in spectrum, since they target steps in a particular virus's replication cycle, which is why broad-spectrum antivirals remain hard to develop.
Don’t Confuse It With
Antiviral inhibits viral replication. Antibiotic acts on bacteria and is ineffective against viruses. A vaccine prevents infection by priming immunity rather than treating established disease. Antibody is the immune protein itself, and monoclonal antibody therapy is a distinct treatment approach.
Hindi Meaning
विषाणुरोधी (vishānurodhī).
Common Questions
- What is an antiviral?
- A drug that inhibits a virus from replicating, rather than killing it directly as antibiotics do with bacteria.
- Why do antibiotics not work against viral infections?
- Antibiotics act on structures and processes specific to bacteria, which viruses do not possess, so prescribing them for viral illness helps the patient not at all while contributing to resistance.
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