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Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Early Viral Entry Assays for the Identification and Evaluation of Antiviral Compounds
Published on: October 29, 2015
Direct-acting Antivirals and Host-targeting Agents against the Hepatitis A Virus
Tatsuo Kanda1, Shingo Nakamoto1, Shuang Wu1
1Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, Japan.
Abstract:
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is a major cause of acute hepatitis and occasionally leads to acute liver failure in both developing and developed countries. Although effective vaccines for HAV are available, the development of new antivirals against HAV may be important for the control of HAV infection in developed countries where no universal vaccination program against HAV exists, such as Japan. There are two forms of antiviral agents against HAV: direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and host-targeting agents (HTAs). Studies using small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) have suggested that the HAV internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) is an attractive target for the control of HAV replication and infection. Among the HTAs, amantadine and interferon-lambda 1 (IL-29) inhibit HAV IRES-mediated translation and HAV replication. Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors inhibit La protein expression, HAV IRES activity, and HAV replication. Based on this review, both DAAs and HTAs may be needed to control effectively HAV infection, and their use should continue to be explored.
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