Molecular approaches for the treatment of hemorrhagic fever virus infections

Antiviral Res. 1993 Sep;22(1):45-75. doi: 10.1016/0166-3542(93)90085-w.

Abstract

Viruses causing hemorrhagic fevers in man belong to the following virus groups: togavirus (Chikungunya), flavivirus (dengue, yellow fever, Kyasanur Forest disease, Omsk hemorrhagic fever), arenavirus (Argentinian hemorrhagic fever, Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, Lassa fever), filovirus (Ebola, Marburg), phlebovirus (Rift Valley fever), nairovirus (Crimian-Congo hemorrhagic fever) and hantavirus (hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, nephropathic epidemia). Hemorrhagic fever virus infections can be approached by different therapeutic strategies: (i) vaccination; (ii) administration of high-titered antibodies; and (iii) treatment with antiviral drugs. Depending on the molecular target of their interaction, antiviral agents could be classified as follows: IMP dehydrogenase inhibitors (i.e., ribavirin and its derivatives); OMP decarboxylase inhibitors (i.e., pyrazofurin); CTP synthetase inhibitors (i.e., cyclopentylcytosine and cyclopentenylcytosine); SAH hydrolase inhibitors (i.e., neplanocin A); polyanionic substances (i.e., sulfated polymers); interferon and immunomodulators.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Arenavirus
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Filoviridae
  • Flavivirus
  • Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral / drug therapy*
  • Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral / microbiology*
  • Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral / transmission
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nairovirus
  • Orthohantavirus
  • Togaviridae

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents