Current knowledge on the host-pathogen interactions of henipaviruses and novel platforms to enable further characterisation.

Abstract

Henipaviruses, particularly the species Nipah (NiV) and Hendra (HeV), are emerging viral threats with potential to cause a public health emergency of international concern due to their high virulence and absence of approved preventative and therapeutical countermeasures. Consequently, research of NiV and HeV is restricted to high-containment laboratories and relies heavily on in vitro models. Despite NiV and HeV initial characterisation >25 years ago, significant gaps remain in the knowledge of the host-pathogen interactions, which are an important research focus for design of therapeutics and supportive care modalities. This review summarises current knowledge in the host-pathogen interactions of henipaviruses and critically assesses the current and emerging in vivo and in vitro models for henipavirus research.