ReviewAntiviral drug discovery for the treatment of enterovirus 71 infections

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a small, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus in the genus Enterovirus, family Picornavirus. It causes hand, foot and mouth disease in infants and children, which in a small percentage of cases progresses to central nervous system infection, ranging from aseptic meningitis to fatal encephalitis. Sporadic cases of EV71 infection occur throughout the world, but large epidemics have occurred recently in Southeast Asia and China. There are currently no approved vaccines or antiviral therapies for the prevention or treatment of EV71 infection. This paper reviews efforts to develop antiviral therapies against EV71.

► Enterovirus 71 (EV71) causes hand, foot and mouth disease in children. ► A small percentage of patients develop severe central nervous system infection. ► Although vaccines have been in use for poliovirus, none has been developed for EV71. ► No antiviral drugs are approved for the treatment of EV71 infection. ► A range of compounds have been identified that inhibit steps in EV71 replication.