The present invention provides modified erythrocytes which comprise viral receptor proteins capable of mediating entry of respective viruses into the modified erythrocytes. The present invention also provides methods of using the modified erythrocytes for the treatment or prevention of viral infections. In one embodiment, the modified erythrocytes of the present invention comprise CD4 and at least one HIV coreceptor, such as CXCR4 or CCR5. The modified erythrocytes, when administered to an HIV patient, bind to the plasma virus and induce the injection of the HIV ribonucleoprotein complex into the cells. The entrapped viral content is either degraded or deactivated within the erythrocytes, or destroyed by erythrophagocytosis.