Screening for vaccinia virus egress inhibitors: separation of IMV, IEV, and EEV

Concerns about the possible use of variola virus as a biological weapon as well as the need for therapeutics for the treatment or prevention of naturally acquired poxvirus infections or vaccination complications have led to the search for small molecule inhibitors of poxvirus replication. One unique and attractive target for antiviral development is viral egress. Part of understanding the mechanism of action of viral egress inhibitors involves determining which virion form is being made. This can be accomplished through buoyant density centrifugation.