Fahima Aktar
1 
, Ariful Karim
2, Rifah Noor Chowdhury
3, Sifat Ara Sultana
3, Md Shah Amran
1* 1 Molecular Pharmacology and Herbal Drug Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2 Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
3 Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Abstract
Viral diseases are prevalent among humans, and antiviral medications treat these infections. Each year, billions of people suffer from a variety of viral diseases, and the COVID-19 pandemic alone caused the death of more than a million people worldwide in 2020. New viruses and viral strains continue to be discovered every year, and to keep up with the constantly changing nature of these infections, more and more antiviral drugs are being invented. This review examined recent advances in the area of dengue, hepatitis, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), focusing on their epidemiological features, pathological characteristics, and treatment strategies. Furthermore, it explores antiviral drugs used to treat and manage these diseases, highlighting their mechanisms of action and approaches to destroy or inhibit different pathogens. Biological therapies, which represent the future of antiviral treatments, are also discussed. This review summarized current information on how these viral infections continue to claim thousands of lives and aimed to assist researchers in finding new ways to invent newer and more effective antivirals. It also aimed to guide healthcare professionals in determining the probable ways to manage these viral infections, resulting in fewer deaths and minimized suffering.