Pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of Lassa virus and its animal modeling, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic developments
Lassa fever (LF) is a deadly viral hemorrhagic disease that is endemic to West Africa. The causative agent of LF is Lassa virus (LASV), which causes approximately 300,000 infections and 5,000 deaths annually. There are currently no approved therapeutics or FDA-approved vaccines against LASV. The hig...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Virulence |
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21505594.2021.2000290 |
| _version_ | 1818971942150995968 |
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| author | Hannah L. Murphy Hinh Ly |
| author_facet | Hannah L. Murphy Hinh Ly |
| author_sort | Hannah L. Murphy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lassa fever (LF) is a deadly viral hemorrhagic disease that is endemic to West Africa. The causative agent of LF is Lassa virus (LASV), which causes approximately 300,000 infections and 5,000 deaths annually. There are currently no approved therapeutics or FDA-approved vaccines against LASV. The high genetic variability between LASV strains and immune evasion mediated by the virus complicate the development of effective therapeutics and vaccines. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the basic biology of LASV and its mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and virulence in various animal models, as well as an update on prospective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for LF. Until effective vaccines and/or therapeutics are available for use to prevent or treat LF, a better level of understanding of the basic biology of LASV, its natural genetic variations and immune evasion mechanisms as potential pathogenicity factors, and of the rodent reservoir-vector populations and their geographical distributions, is necessary for the development of accurate diagnostics and effective therapeutics and vaccines against this deadly human viral pathogen. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T15:00:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2ea00ca7f82649a39afa9736e968eae7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-5594 2150-5608 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T15:00:23Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Virulence |
| spelling | doaj.art-2ea00ca7f82649a39afa9736e968eae72022-12-21T19:36:41ZengTaylor & Francis GroupVirulence2150-55942150-56082021-12-011212989301410.1080/21505594.2021.20002902000290Pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of Lassa virus and its animal modeling, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic developmentsHannah L. Murphy0Hinh Ly1Comparative & Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of MinnesotaComparative & Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of MinnesotaLassa fever (LF) is a deadly viral hemorrhagic disease that is endemic to West Africa. The causative agent of LF is Lassa virus (LASV), which causes approximately 300,000 infections and 5,000 deaths annually. There are currently no approved therapeutics or FDA-approved vaccines against LASV. The high genetic variability between LASV strains and immune evasion mediated by the virus complicate the development of effective therapeutics and vaccines. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the basic biology of LASV and its mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and virulence in various animal models, as well as an update on prospective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for LF. Until effective vaccines and/or therapeutics are available for use to prevent or treat LF, a better level of understanding of the basic biology of LASV, its natural genetic variations and immune evasion mechanisms as potential pathogenicity factors, and of the rodent reservoir-vector populations and their geographical distributions, is necessary for the development of accurate diagnostics and effective therapeutics and vaccines against this deadly human viral pathogen.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21505594.2021.2000290lassa virusarenavirusmammarenaviruspathogenicitypathogenesisvirulencevaccinetherapeuticsdiagnosticshemorrhagic fevers |
| spellingShingle | Hannah L. Murphy Hinh Ly Pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of Lassa virus and its animal modeling, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic developments Virulence lassa virus arenavirus mammarenavirus pathogenicity pathogenesis virulence vaccine therapeutics diagnostics hemorrhagic fevers |
| title | Pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of Lassa virus and its animal modeling, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic developments |
| title_full | Pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of Lassa virus and its animal modeling, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic developments |
| title_fullStr | Pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of Lassa virus and its animal modeling, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic developments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of Lassa virus and its animal modeling, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic developments |
| title_short | Pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of Lassa virus and its animal modeling, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic developments |
| title_sort | pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of lassa virus and its animal modeling diagnostic prophylactic and therapeutic developments |
| topic | lassa virus arenavirus mammarenavirus pathogenicity pathogenesis virulence vaccine therapeutics diagnostics hemorrhagic fevers |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21505594.2021.2000290 |
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