title: An Overview of Current Approaches Toward the Treatment and Prevention of West Nile Virus Infection.
abstract: The persistence of West Nile virus (WNV) infections throughout the USA since its inception in 1999 and its continuous spread throughout the globe calls for an urgent need of effective treatments and prevention measures. Although the licensing of several WNV vaccines for veterinary use provides a proof of concept, similar efforts on the development of an effective vaccine for humans remain still unsuccessful. Increased understanding of biology and pathogenesis of WNV together with recent technological advancements have raised hope that an effective WNV vaccine may be available in the near future. In addition, rapid progress in the structural and functional characterization of WNV and other flaviviral proteins have provided a solid base for the design and development of several classes of inhibitors as potential WNV therapeutics. Moreover, the therapeutic monoclonal antibodies demonstrate an excellent efficacy against WNV in animal models and represent a promising class of WNV therapeutics. However, there are some challenges as to the design and development of a safe and efficient WNV vaccine or therapeutic. In this chapter, we discuss the current approaches, progress, and challenges toward the development of WNV vaccines, therapeutic antibodies, and antiviral drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive # 5018, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA.
authors.forename: Dhiraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive # 5018, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA. fengwei.bai@usm.edu.
authors.forename: Fengwei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D055808:Drug Discovery; D006801:Humans; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053060:West Nile Virus Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D053060:West Nile Virus Vaccines
keywords: Antiviral drug; Therapeutic antibody; Vaccine; West Nile virus