ETIDIOH - NEW

Abstract Lassa mammarenavirus (LASV), a member of the family Arenaviridae , is a highly pathogenic virus capable of causing severe systemic infections in humans . The primary host reservoir is the Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis), with human infections typically occurring through mucosal exposure to virus-containing aerosols from rodent excretions . To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying LASV replication in the respiratory tract, we utilized differentiated primary human airway epithelial cells (HAECs) grown under air–liquid interface conditions, closely mimicking the bronchial epithelium in vivo. Our findings demonstrate that HAECs are permissive to LASV infection and support productive virus replication . While LASV entry into polarized HAECs occurred through both apical and basolateral surfaces , progeny virus particles were predominantly released from the apical surface , consistent with an intrinsic apical localization of the envelope glycoprotein GP...

{Excerpt} Highlights •  A new strain of Lassa virus (LASV) was successfully isolated and characterized. •  The combination of ribavirin and LHF-535 has been demonstrated to exhibit synergistic effects in inhibiting LASV. •  The findings provide new directions for the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines for Lassa fever. Dear Editor, Lassa virus (LASV) is the causative agent of the acute viral hemorrhagic Lassa fever (LF), which is classified into Mammarenavirus within the Arenaviridae family , with a single-stranded, negative-sense, bi-segmented RNA genome. Due to its high pathogenicity and lethality , LASV is considered as a priority threat to public health , with an estimated cases of 300,000 infections and 5,000 deaths annually . LASV was first isolated and described as a clinical entity in 1969 in Lassa, Nigeria (Garry, 2023). LASV isolates of different geographic and host origins are highly diverse in genomic sequences and phylogenetically classified into up t...