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Review
. 2025 Jun 25;14(2):101693.
doi: 10.5501/wjv.v14.i2.101693.

New frontiers in sickle cell disease: The role of antiviral therapies and emerging drugs in managing viral infections

Tarun Sahu  1 , Arunita Tushar Jagzape  1 , Meenakshi Sinha  1 , Ramanjan Sinha  1 , Henu Kumar Verma  2
Affiliations
Review

New frontiers in sickle cell disease: The role of antiviral therapies and emerging drugs in managing viral infections

Tarun Sahu et al. World J Virol. .

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder that predisposes affected individuals to a range of complications, including an increased susceptibility to viral infections. These infections present significant clinical challenges due to the underlying immunocompromised state in SCD patients. This review examines the interaction between viral infections and SCD, highlighting the vulnerabilities and the impact of these infections on morbidity and mortality in this population. Advances in antiviral therapies have significantly improved outcomes, yet managing viral infections in SCD patients requires special consideration due to drug-to-drug interactions, altered pharmacokinetics, and the potential exacerbation of SCD-related complications. Additionally, vaccination strategies against viral infections and the emerging role of prophylactic antiviral treatments are discussed as critical components of infection prevention. By focusing on both established and novel antiviral treatments, this article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities in managing viral infections in patients with SCD.

Keywords: Antiviral; Sickle cell disease; Therapeutics; Viral Infection; Virus.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest in publishing the manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Historical management of sickle cell disease and viral infections. COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019; CRISPR-cas9: Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats; FDA: Food and Drug Administration; SCD: Sickle cell disease; VOC: Vaso-occlusive crisis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mechanisms of viral infection-related exacerbation in sickle cell disease. Hb: Hemoglobin; IL: Interleukin; NO: Nitric oxide; RBCs: Red blood cells; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Treatments and prophylaxis for viral infections in sickle cell disease. COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019; IG: Immunoglobulin; SARS-CoV 2: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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