Fig. 2: Characteristics of RNA viruses and emergence of antiviral resistance. | npj Antimicrobials and Resistance

Fig. 2: Characteristics of RNA viruses and emergence of antiviral resistance.

From: Strategies and efforts in circumventing the emergence of antiviral resistance against conventional antivirals

Fig. 2

A Characteristics of RNA viruses that contribute to their high evolutionary rates and adaptability. B Comparison of direct and cross-resistance. Direct resistance is when a virus exposed to a single antiviral (Antiviral A) develops resistance to it. Cross-resistance is when a virus exposed to only one antiviral (Antiviral A) acquires mutations that confer resistance to it, as well as another antiviral (Antiviral B) to which the virus was not exposed. C Resistant mutants that confer a selective advantage over the wild type viruses in the presence of antivirals quickly become prevalent in the viral population. If these mutants are fitter than wild type even in the absence of antiviral, they are transmitted more often and becomes the dominant strain. Sustained transmission of these resistant viruses can render antivirals obsolete.

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