Viral and Host Targets to Fight RNA Viruses

Dear Colleagues,

RNA viruses include a wide range of human pathogens. The most studied and well known are the hepatotropic and lymphotropic hepatitis C virus, respiratory viruses such as influenza viruses and coronaviruses, as well as vector-borne viruses such as the flaviviruses Dengue, Zika, and West Nile, to mention only a few examples. Other RNA viruses, including Chikungunya, Rift Valley fever, Phlebovirus, and Nairovirus, are less studied, and less information on these is therefore available, but they can also represent a future challenge. Being present in reservoir hosts including rodents, bats, wild birds, or vectors such as ticks and mosquitoes, RNA viruses are often the cause of human epidemics and, occasionally, pandemics. Unfortunately, antiviral therapeutics to treat most viral diseases have not yet been discovered or, if available, are often subject to side effects and the onset of resistance. Accordingly, research focused on the discovery of new approaches to fight RNA viruses is in strong demand and is dependent on close cooperation between different scientific areas such as biochemistry, virology, medicinal and organic chemistries, and chemical, cellular, and molecular biology.

This Special Issue aims to collect studies focused on i) the discovery of novel antiviral agents (direct-acting and host-targeting agents), ii) the investigation of mechanisms of action, and iii) the identification of new druggable targets. High-quality reviews and original papers focused on novel approaches to fight RNA viruses are welcome. Theoretical studies are encouraged only if supported by experimental validation.

Dr. Tommaso Felicetti
Guest Editor

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