Potent Inhibitory Effects of Lauric Acid and Glycerol Monolaurate Against CyHV-2 and the Viral Envelope

Lauric Acid (LA) and Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) are naturally present in several plant-derived oils, particularly coconut and palm kernel oil. These compounds have been widely applied in swine production owing to their proven antiviral activity against Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea Virus (PEDV), and African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV). In this study, we investigated the potential of LA and GML as antiviral agents against Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2), the causative agent of Herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis (HVHN), which poses significant challenges to China's freshwater aquaculture industry, particularly in crucian carp farming. Notably, no commercially available drugs or vaccines are currently approved for CyHV-2 infection. Our findings demonstrated that LA and GML significantly inhibit CyHV-2 replication and reduce viral infectivity. Further investigation into the antiviral mechanisms revealed that treatment with LA or GML disrupts the viral envelope structure, alters its physicochemical properties, and compromises virions' stability. Based on these results, we propose that LA and GML are promising natural antiviral agents for the control of CyHV-2 infection.