Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV)

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly contagious alphacoronavirus that causes severe enteric disease in swine, characterized by acute vomiting, watery diarrhea, and dehydration [1, 14]. It primarily targets the mature villous enterocytes of the small intestine, leading to significant villous atrophy and malabsorption, with mortality rates reaching up to 100% in neonatal piglets [17, 18]. The viral genome encodes several key proteins that serve as therapeutic targets, most notably the Spike (S) protein, which mediates cell entry and is the primary focus of vaccine development, and the 3C-like protease (3CLpro), which is essential for viral polyprotein processing and replication [3, 10, 12]. While no specific commercial antivirals are currently approved for clinical use in swine, research has identified several small-molecule inhibitors, such as GC376 and various flavonoids like quercetin and baicalein, that target these viral components to suppress infection [6, 10, 13]. Additionally, host factors and pathways, such as the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway, have been explored as potential targets for antiviral intervention [15]. PEDV remains a major economic threat to the global pork industry due to its rapid transmission, environmental stability, and the emergence of highly virulent variant strains that challenge existing control measures and vaccine efficacy [19, 20].

Other names

PED virusAlphacoronavirus porciPEDV

Inhibition of the viral 3C-like protease (3CLpro) to prevent polyprotein processing, blocking of viral entry through Spike protein binding or receptor interference, and modulation of host signaling pathways such as Wnt/beta-catenin and p53 to suppress viral replication and apoptosis.