The effect of acyclovir is based on a selective inhibition of the replication of herpes viruses. The drug is phosphorylated by viral thymidine kinase. As a triphosphate acyclovir inhibits the DNA polymerase and thus the formation of viral DNA. The host cells are not considerably affected. Varicella-zoster viruses are not as sensitive as herpes simplex viruses. Resistant herpes viruses, that lack the thymidine kinase, have been observed almost exclusively in immunocompromised subjects.

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