Which medication would be preferred for a patient with cytomegalovirus?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a type of herpesvirus that can cause significant complications, especially in immunocompromised patients. Ganciclovir is specifically designed to target CMV by inhibiting viral DNA synthesis. It is structurally similar to acyclovir but modified in a way that makes it more effective against CMV.

Ganciclovir works by entering the viral-infected cells, where it is phosphorylated by viral enzymes, ultimately competing with deoxyguanosine triphosphate (dGTP) and incorporating itself into the growing viral DNA chain. This action effectively halts further replication of the virus.

Other options mentioned do not provide the same efficacy against CMV. For instance, Acyclovir is primarily effective against herpes simplex virus and varicella-zoster virus but has limited activity against CMV. Fluconazole is an antifungal agent used to treat fungal infections, and Ciprofloxacin is an antibacterial medication that has no activity against viral infections, including CMV.

Thus, Ganciclovir is the preferred choice for treating cytomegalovirus due to its targeted antiviral action against this specific virus.