Viroporins: A new target for fighting viral infections

Abstract

Over the last years an increasing number of viruses have jumped into the mass media and several names or acronyms (Ebola, zika, SARS, MERS,…) have become familiar to the general public because of the high mortality rates associated with their infection in humans. The threat they pose to human life has to do mainly with the risk of infection spreading from the initial outbreak location to other countries and population sectors. Along with these pathogens, there are other viruses that remain a serious health problem, despite considerable therapeutic advances: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), responsible for the immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), causing hepatitis C and some cancers; the influenza A virus (IAV); the Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections during infancy and childhood. This list is far from complete.