Arenaviruses other than Lassa virus.
The family Arenaviridae includes 23 viral species, of which 5 can cause viral hemorrhagic fevers with a case fatality rate of about 20%. These five viruses are Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabia and Lassa virus, the manipulation of which requires biosafety level 4 facilities. They are included in the Category A Pathogen List established by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that groups agents with the greatest potential for adverse public health impact and mass casualties whether a situation characterized by a ill-intentioned abuse of natural or engineered arenavirus would be encountered. The aims of this article are to (i) summarize the current situation; (ii) provide information to help anticipating the effects to be expected in such a situation; and to (iii) emphasize the need for fundamental research to allow the development of diagnostic, prevention and therapeutic tools as countermeasures to weaponized arenaviruses.
Charrel
Rémi N
RN
Unité des Virus Emergents, EA 3292, IRD-UR 034, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine, 27 boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille 13005, France. virophdm@gulliver.fr
de Lamballerie
Xavier
X
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001117:Arenaviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006477:Arenaviruses, New World / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D023482:Bioterrorism / Q000517:prevention & control; D006482:Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D018051:Junin virus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007836:Lassa virus / Q000145:classification; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin