Pseudorabies virus (PrV) can infect several animals and causes severe economic losses in the swine industry. Recently, human
encephalitis or
endophthalmitis caused by PrV
infection has been frequently reported in China. Thus, PrV can infect animals and is becoming a potential threat to human health. Although
vaccines and drugs are the main strategies to prevent and treat PrV outbreaks, there is no specific
drug, and the emergence of new PrV variants has reduced the effectiveness of classical
vaccines. Therefore, it is challenging to eradicate PrV. In the present review, the membrane fusion process of PrV entering target cells, which is conducive to revealing new therapeutic and
vaccine strategies for PrV, is presented and discussed. The current and potential PrV pathways of
infection in humans are analyzed, and it is hypothesized that PrV may become a zoonotic agent. The efficacy of chemically
synthesized drugs for treating PrV
infections in animals and humans is unsatisfactory. In contrast, multiple extracts of
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have shown anti-PRV activity, exerting its effects in different phases of the PrV life-cycle and suggesting that TCM compounds may have great potential against PrV. Overall, this review provides insights into developing effective anti-PrV drugs and emphasizes that human PrV
infection should receive more attention.