Recent progress in the development of inhibitors of the Lassa virus
Lassa virus(LASV),a member of Arenaviridae family,is the cause of severe acute hemorrhagic fever,known as Lassa fever,which has an overall fatality rate of 1%,but up to 15%in hospitalized patients.LASV is mainly endemic in West Africa.At present,there is no approved drug or vaccine for LASV,and treatment is limited to ribavirin in the early dis-ease stage.Although some drugs have entered the clinical stage,most have been studied in cellular and animal models.Accord-ing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,LASV is a Class A pathogen due to a high mortality rate and limited treatment options.The World Health Organization has identified Lassa fever as a top priority for research and development.This article reviews recent progress in the development of LASV inhibitors.