Intervention strategies for emerging viruses: use of antivirals

• There are no antiviral drugs available against most emerging/neglected viruses.
• Most viruses have excellent molecular targets for inhibition of viral replication.
• A number of inhibitors of various viruses are currently in (early) development.
• Antiviral drugs for other indications may be used off-label for unrelated viruses.
• Drugs with broad-spectrum antiviral activity are urgently needed.

Today, small molecule antiviral drugs are available for the treatment of infections with herpesviruses, HIV, HBV and HCV as well as with influenza viruses. Ribavirin, a broad-spectrum (but aspecific) antiviral, has been approved for the treatment of infections with respiratory syncytial virus, HCV and Lassa virus. Yet, for many other viruses that cause life-threatening infections [most of which are considered emerging and/or neglected] there are no drugs available. Ideally, potent and broad-spectrum (i.e., pan-genus or pan-family virus activity) antiviral drugs should be developed whereby one drug could be used for the treatment of a number of such viral infections. We here review recent evolutions in the search for inhibitors of emerging and neglected RNA viruses.