Orthohantavirus (HTV) (HTV)

Orthohantaviruses are a genus of enveloped, negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses within the family Hantaviridae [CDC, 2023]. They are primarily zoonotic pathogens transmitted to humans via inhalation of aerosolized excreta from infected rodent hosts [NIH, 2021]. In humans, hantaviruses are the causative agents of two severe febrile illnesses: Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), both characterized by increased vascular permeability and high mortality rates [StatPearls, 2023]. The viral life cycle involves attachment to host cell receptors, such as beta-3 integrins, followed by entry via endocytosis and replication of the three-segmented RNA genome in the cytoplasm [Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2010]. The Large (L) segment encodes the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which is a primary target for antiviral drugs like ribavirin and favipiravir [PubMed, 2019]. Despite the severity of the diseases they cause, there are currently no specific, FDA-approved therapeutic agents or vaccines widely available for hantavirus infections, making them a significant public health concern [WHO, 2020].

Other names

HantavirusBunyavirusHantaviridaeOrthohantavirus

Inhibition of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and induction of lethal mutagenesis [PubMed, 2019]