ABSTRACT Bourbon virus (BRBV) is an emerging tick-borne virus that can cause severe and fatal disease in humans . BRBV is vectored via the Amblyomma americanum tick , which is widely distributed throughout the central, eastern, and southern United States . Serosurveillance studies in Missouri and North Carolina identified BRBV-neutralizing antibodies in approximately 0.6% of tested individuals . To date, no specific antiviral therapy exists. As part of an initial screen, several nucleoside analogs were tested for their ability to inhibit BRBV replication in cell culture. Among the compounds assessed, molnupiravir , an antiviral drug with oral availability and broad spectrum antiviral activity against RNA viruses, showed antiviral activity against BRBV production in vitro. In vivo, pre-exposure administration of molnupiravir protected susceptible type I interferon receptor knockout (Ifnar1-/-) mice against lethal BRBV infection. The protection by molnupiravir was associated with l...
Media Monitoring for Signals about Emerging Threats