Lassa virus diversity and feasibility for universal prophylactic vaccine

Lassa virus (LASV) is a highly prevalent mammarenavirus in West Africa and is maintained in nature in a persistently infected rodent host, Mastomys natalensis, which is widely spread in sub-Saharan Africa. LASV infection of humans can cause Lassa fever (LF), a disease associated with high morbidity and significant mortality. Recent evidence indicates an LASV expansion outside its traditional endemic areas. In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) included LASV in top-priority pathogens and released a Target Product Profile (TPP) for vaccine development. Likewise, in 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration added LF to a priority review voucher program to encourage the development of preventive and therapeutics measures. In this article, we review recent progress in LASV vaccine research and development with a focus on the impact of LASV genetic and biological diversity on the design and development of vaccine candidates meeting the WHO’s TPP for an LASV vaccine.