Oropouche virus

 Abstract

The Oropouche virus is an important arthropod-borne virus in the Peribunyaviridae family that can cause febrile illnesses, and it is widely distributed in tropical regions such as Central and South America. Since the virus was first identified, a large number of related cases are reported every year. No deaths have been reported to date, however, the virus can cause systemic infections, including the nervous and blood systems, leading to serious complications. The transmission of Oropouche virus occurs through both urban and sylvatic cycles, with the anthropophilic biting midge Culicoides paraensis serving as the primary vector in urban areas. Direct human-to-human transmission of Oropouche virus has not been observed. Oropouche virus consists of three segments, and the proteins encoded by the different segments enables the virus to replicate efficiently in the host and to resist the host's immune response. Phylogenetic analyses showed that Oropouche virus sequences are geographically distinct and have closer homologies with Iquitos virus and Perdoes virus, which belong to the family Peribunyaviridae. Despite the enormous threat it poses to public health, there are currently no licensed vaccines or specific antiviral treatments for the disease it causes. Recent studies have utilised imJatobal virusmunoinformatics approaches to develop epitope-based peptide vaccines, which have laid the groundwork for the clinical use of vaccines. The present review focuses on the structure, epidemiology, immunity and phylogeny of Oropouche virus, as well as the progress of vaccine development, thereby attracting wider attention and research, particularly with regard to potential vaccine programs.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Evolutionary; Immunity; Oropouche virus; Structure; Vaccine development.

Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.*1

Abstract

AbstractOropouche virus (OROV) is an important cause of arboviral illness in Latin American countries, more specifically in the Amazon region of Brazil, Venezuela and Peru, as well as in other countries such as Panama. In the past decades, the clinical, epidemiological, pathological, and molecular aspects of OROV have been published and provide the basis for a better understanding of this important human pathogen. Here, we describe the milestones in a comprehensive review of OROV epidemiology, pathogenesis, and molecular biology, including a description of the first isolation of the virus, the outbreaks during the past six decades, clinical aspects of OROV infection, diagnostic methods, genome and genetic traits, evolution, and viral dispersal.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Jorge Fernando Travassos da Rosa is a Senior Researcher of the Department of Arboviruses and was the Director of the institution between 1988 and 2002. *2

Abstract

This perspective underscores the rising challenge posed by emerging diseases against the backdrop of modern advancements in global public health understanding. It particularly highlights the emergence of the Oropouche virus (OROV) as a significant global threat, detailing its transmission dynamics, symptoms, and epidemiological impact, with a focus on its historical and current manifestations. It further delves into the molecular aspects of OROV, elucidating its unique characteristics, lack of structural similarity with other arboviruses, and the limited progress in medicinal chemistry research. Still, it highlights notable studies on potential antiviral agents and the challenges in drug development, emphasizing the need for innovative approaches such as structure-based drug design (SBDD) and drug repurposing. Finally, it concludes with a call to action, urging increased attention and research focus on OROV to prevent potential future pandemics fueled by viral mutations.

Keywords: Drug design; Drug repurposing; Endonuclease; Medicinal chemistry; Oropouche.

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.*3

Figures

*1Oropouche virus: A neglected global arboviral threat

Yuli Zhang et al. Virus Res. 2024 Mar.

*2Oropouche Virus: Clinical, Epidemiological, and Molecular Aspects of a Neglected Orthobunyavirus

Jorge Fernando Travassos da Rosa et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2017 May.

*3Oropouche virus - The "Newest" invisible public enemy?

Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior. Bioorg Med Chem. 2024.