Novel Therapeutic targets for arenavirus hemorrhagic fevers

CLAUDIA S. SEPÚLVEDA; CYBELE C. GARCÍA; ELSA B. DAMONTE

FUTURE VIROLOGY

FUTURE MEDICINE LTD

Lugar: London; Año: 2011 vol. 6 p. 27 - 44

1746-0794

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 3.0cm 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> Several members of the family Arenaviridae can cause severe hemorrhagic fevers in humans representing a serious public health problem in endemic areas of Africa and South America. Lassa virus is the most dangerous arenavirus causing over 300,000 infections per year with several thousand deaths. Furthermore, pathogenic arenaviruses are considered category A potential agents for bioterrorism. Based on the danger of arenaviruses for human health, the increased emergence of new viral species in recent years and the lack of effective tools for their control or prevention, the search for novel antiviral compounds effective against these pathogenic agents is a continuous demanding effort. This article focuses on novel strategies to identify inhibitors for arenavirus therapy, analyzing viral and host proteins essential for virus infection as potential targets for antiviral development.