Poliovirus type 2 (PV2) (PV2)

Poliovirus type 2 (PV2) is one of the three serotypes of the poliovirus, a member of the Enterovirus C species within the Picornaviridae family. It is a small, non-enveloped virus with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome encapsulated in an icosahedral protein capsid. PV2 primarily infects humans via the fecal-oral route, replicating in the gastrointestinal tract and occasionally invading the central nervous system to cause paralytic poliomyelitis by destroying motor neurons. While wild PV2 was declared eradicated in 2015, vaccine-derived strains (cVDPV2) remain a significant public health threat, particularly in areas with low immunization coverage. Therapeutic strategies focus on prevention through vaccines like the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and novel oral poliovirus vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), while antiviral candidates such as pocapavir and imocitrelvir are being developed to treat chronic excretors and prevent outbreaks. These drugs work by binding to the viral capsid to prevent uncoating or by inhibiting viral proteases essential for replication.

Other names

Poliovirus type IIPV2Enterovirus C serotype 2Sabin 2MEF-1Lansing strain

Neutralization of viral particles; Inhibition of viral uncoating; Inhibition of viral protease activity