About this Research Topic
Hantaviruses are negative single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses, which belong to the family and order Hantaviridae and Bunyavirales, respectively. These viruses infect around 150,000 to 200,000 people each year worldwide. Until now, 40 species of Hantaviruses have been reported, among which 22 species are more contagious and infection-causing. Globally, there is no FDA-approved treatment available to control Hantaviruses. Emphasis should focus on not only the development of broad-spectrum small-molecule and antibody direct-acting antivirals but also on host-factor therapeutics, including repurposing previously approved or in-pipeline drugs. Another new class of therapeutics with great antiviral potential is RNA-based therapeutics. In addition to dealing with currently known risks, dedicated efforts must be made toward pre-emptive research focusing on the outbreak-prone virus families, ultimately offering a strategy to shorten the gap between the outbreak of the virus and our response. It is also essential to develop orally available drugs for outpatient use and identify combined therapies that combat viral and immune-mediated diseases, extending the effectiveness window of therapeutics and reducing drug resistance.
The limited treatment options available to combat these emerging species of Hantaviruses have raised the need for broad-spectrum therapeutics effective against these viruses. Substantial efforts have been made to develop novel therapeutic candidates against different respiratory pathogens of Hantaviruses including small molecules, peptides, monoclonal antibodies, novel viral and host cell targets, drug repurposing, new antiviral agents, and innovations in drug discovery. In this Research Topic, we aim to collect the most recent discoveries related to understanding the biology of Hantaviruses and using diverse scientific tools to propose novel therapeutics and prophylactic approaches for the management of Hantaviruses. We seek contributions of original research and review articles as well as short communications in the following areas:
1. Novel vaccine development strategies against Hantaviruses.
2. Novel drug development strategies against Hantaviruses.
3. Database development for housing omics data of Hantaviruses.
4. RNA-based therapeutics for Hantaviruses.
5. Computational biology to understand Hantaviruses biology and management.
The limited treatment options available to combat these emerging species of Hantaviruses have raised the need for broad-spectrum therapeutics effective against these viruses. Substantial efforts have been made to develop novel therapeutic candidates against different respiratory pathogens of Hantaviruses including small molecules, peptides, monoclonal antibodies, novel viral and host cell targets, drug repurposing, new antiviral agents, and innovations in drug discovery. In this Research Topic, we aim to collect the most recent discoveries related to understanding the biology of Hantaviruses and using diverse scientific tools to propose novel therapeutics and prophylactic approaches for the management of Hantaviruses. We seek contributions of original research and review articles as well as short communications in the following areas:
1. Novel vaccine development strategies against Hantaviruses.
2. Novel drug development strategies against Hantaviruses.
3. Database development for housing omics data of Hantaviruses.
4. RNA-based therapeutics for Hantaviruses.
5. Computational biology to understand Hantaviruses biology and management.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
