Arenaviruses, enveloped viruses containing a bisegmented single-stranded
RNA genome with ambisense coding strategy, include important hemorrhagic-fevercausing
viruses representing a public health threat in endemic areas of Africa and South
America. In spite of the danger of pathogenic arenaviruses and their increased
emergence in recent years, no specific and safe chemotherapy for these viruses is
currently available. This chapter covers recent advances in the development of antiviral
strategies to face arenavirus infections. New insights in molecular aspects of virus
replication and virus-host interactions have allowed the identification of viral and
cellular factors as potential target for antiviral therapy. We will revise the main features
of arenavirus biology and the mechanism of antiviral action of different molecules
derived from natural sources, chemical synthesis and rational structure-based antiviral
drug design. The advantage of targeting viral and cell host factors as complementary
approaches for therapy intervention will be discussed. We will particularly discuss the
use of novel inhibitory strategies and the main advances in the development of
innovative screening platforms.
Keywords: Attachment, Antiviral activity, Arenavirus, Argentine hemorrhagic
fever, Budding, Candid #1, Emerging viruses, Entry, Favipiravir, Guanarito virus,
Hemorrhagic fevers, High-throughput screening, Interferon, Junin virus, Lassa
fever, Lassa virus, Lujo virus, Machupo virus, Membrane fusion, Monoclonal
antibody, Pathogenesis, Peptide, Replication, Reverse genetic, Ribavirin, Sabia
virus, Small interfering RNA, Small molecule, Therapy, Uncoating.
