Only 1 viral disease has ever had a cure, Hepatitus C. That was only recently after a huge investment by Gilead.
We have antibiotics primarily from fungi derived substances, but there are no other class of substances we’ve been able to appropriate for our own use to treat viruses.
I find it amazing that viruses, which are supposedly “simpler” aren’t more vulnerable.
But thinking about it, prions are even simpler and have no know treatments.
This demonstrates, then, that complex systems can be quite fragile.
That's WHY they're less vulnerable. Less complexity reduces the attack surface. With microbes, there are lots of ways to disrupt their biological processes, but viruses have fewer attack vectors, making it difficult to target them.
Acyclovir definitely seemed to help when i had chickenpox!
"It can treat herpes virus infections, including shingles and genital herpes. It can also treat chickenpox. This medication does not cure herpes, but may prevent herpes sores or blisters."