title: Antiviral strategies against human coronaviruses.
abstract: Since the mid 60's the human coronaviruses (HCoV), represented by HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E, were generally considered relatively harmless viruses. This status changed dramatically with the emergence of SARS-CoV in 2002/2003. The SARS-CoV pandemic took 774 lives around the globe and infected more than 8000 people in 29 countries. SARS-CoV is believed to be of zoonotic origin, transmitted from its natural reservoir in bats through several animal species (e.g., civet cats, raccoon dogs sold for human consumption in markets in southern China). The epidemic was halted in 2003 by a highly effective global public health response, and SARS-CoV is currently not circulating in humans. The outbreak of SARS-CoV and the danger of its re-introduction into the human population, as well as the danger of the emergence of other zoonotic coronaviral infections triggered an intense survey for an efficient treatment that resulted in the evaluation of several anticoronaviral compounds. HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-HKU1 were identified shortly after the SARS-CoV outbreak. The 4 human coronaviruses HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-HKU1 cause mild respiratory illnesses when compared to SARS, but these infections are involved in 10 - 20 % of hospitalizations of young children and immunocompromised adults with respiratory tract illness. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a successful therapy to prevent disease induction or a vaccine to prevent new infections. This review summarizes the current status of anticoronaviral strategies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. k.a.pyrc@gmail.com
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pyrc
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berkhout
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van der Hoek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D028941:Coronavirus 229E, Human / Q000187:drug effects; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D028962:Coronavirus OC43, Human / Q000187:drug effects; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents