Outbreaks of severe virus infections with the potential to cause global pandemics are increasing. In many instances these outbreaks have been newly emerging (SARS coronavirus), re-emerging (Ebola virus, Zika virus) or zoonotic (avian influenza H5N1) virus infections. In the absence of a targeted vaccine or a pathogen-specific antiviral, broad-spectrum antivirals would function to limit virus spread. Given the direct antiviral effects of type I interferons (IFNs) in inhibiting the replication of both DNA and RNA viruses at different stages of their replicative cycles, and the effects of type I IFNs on activating immune cell populations to clear virus infections, IFNs-Α/Β present as ideal candidate broad-spectrum antivirals.
CITATION STYLE
Wang, B. X., & Fish, E. N. (2019, June 1). Global virus outbreaks: Interferons as 1st responders. Seminars in Immunology. Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smim.2019.101300
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