Antiviral options for emerging and reemerging viral diseases: Current therapeutics, novel drug candidates and new approaches

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Background

Emerging and re-emerging viral diseases are caused by viruses that have been newly identified or have reappeared in the population after a period of decline. These diseases pose a major public health challenge due to the potential for rapid spread, high morbidity and mortality rates, and a lack of established treatments or immunity in the population. The recent example is the emergence of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that led to a pandemic affecting millions of people worldwide. Although it had similarity with SARS-CoV, it took extensive efforts to develop vaccines and treatments to control the spread and impact of COVID-19. Similarly, Ebola Virus Disease, caused by the Ebola virus, has occurred in several African countries, with the largest outbreak reported in West Africa from 2014 to 2016. Zika virus that gained attention during the 2015 outbreak in the Americas, and the Nipah virus outbreak that occurred in several parts of Asia, both have resulted in high mortality rates, and associated economic loss. Similarly, the Influenza viruses, Dengue viruses and HIV are amongst others that have impacted the human health and disease burden on society.

With very high mortality rates and challenges in the containment and treatment, these infections highlight the ongoing challenges posed by emerging and re-emerging viral diseases and necessitates viral surveillance, their rapid detection, effective outbreak response, and the development of vaccines and antiviral therapies for mitigating the impact of these diseases on human health. It is becoming more and more important to research and develop new antiviral options as well as improve the existing ones to combat these new threats.

The guest editors of this research topic welcome Original Research articles, Reviews, Methods, Perspectives, and aim to assemble a collection of articles highlighting the research and developments made on existing and novel antiviral options against emerging and remerging viruses. The topic invites articles highlighting, but not limited to the following:
1) Broad-spectrum antivirals
2) Repurposing existing antiviral drugs
3) Host-targeted therapies
4) Monoclonal antibodies
5) RNA-based therapeutics
6) Combination therapies
7) Direct acting antivirals

Keywords: Influenza, Coronavirus, Monkeypox virus, pandemic, Antiviral drugs, Antiviral strategies, Entry inhibitors, Integrase inhibitors, Polymerase inhibitors, Protease inhibitors

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