Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as a paradigm for predicting antiviral activity against Ebola virus (EBOV)

Abstract

There are at present no antivirals available which have been
formally licensed for clinical use for the treatment of Ebola
virus (EBOV) infections in humans. The most advanced to be
approved for this purpose is favipiravir (T-705), a viral RNA
polymerase inhibitor. Under consideration are BCX4430, also
a viral RNA polymerase inhibitor, and 3-deazaneplanocin A
and various other S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) hydrolase
inhibitors. A number of compounds which have been approved
for other purposes seem to interact with the cell entry of
EBOV. Some compounds like pyrazofurin have been found to
be exquisitely potent inhibitors of vesicular stomatitis virus
(VSV). VSV belongs to the rhabdoviridae, a family closely
related to the family of the filoviridae to which EBOV and
Marburg virus belong. VSV, unlike EBOV and Marburg virus
which require biosafety level 4, can be handled in conventional
safety conditions.
Key words: Ebola virus (EBOV); vesicular stomatitis virus
(VSV); rhabdoviridae; filoviridae; favipiravir; BCX4430;
pyrazofurin; SAH hydrolase

Keywords

• Ebola virus (EBOV); vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV); rhabdoviridae; filoviridae; favipiravir; BCX4430; pyrazofurin; SAH hydrolase

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Abstract

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Keywords

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