Host target-based approaches against arboviral diseases.

Host target-based approaches against arboviral diseases. Biol Chem. 2017 Nov 27;: Authors: Rocha RF, Del Sarto JL, Marques RE, Vasconcelos Costa V, Teixeira MM Abstract In the 20th century, socioeconomic and environmental changes facilitated the reintroduction of mosquitoes in developing cities, resulting in the reintroduction of mosquito-borne viral diseases and the dispersal of their causative agents in a worldwide scale. Recurrent outbreaks of arboviral diseases are being reported, even in regions without a previous history of arboviral disease transmission. Of note, arboviral infections represented approximately 30% of all emerging vector-borne diseases of the last decade. Therapeutic strategies against infectious viral diseases include the use of different classes of molecules that act directly on the pathogen and/or act by optimizing the host immune response. Drugs targeting the virus usually provide amelioration of symptoms by suppressing and controlling the infection. However, it is limited by the short-window of effectiveness, ineffectiveness against latent viruses, development of drug-resistant mutants and toxic side effects. Once disease may also be a consequence of an excessive, uncontrolled or misplaced inflammatory response, treatments that interfere in host immune response are interesting options and can be used isolated or in combination with virus-targeted therapies. The use of host-targeted therapies requires specif...
Source: Biological Chemistry - Category: Chemistry Tags: Biol Chem Source Type: research