A method for treating, preventing, or ameliorating one or more symptoms associated with a negative-strand RNA virus infection in a subject, said method comprising administering to said subject in need thereof, a prophylactically- or therapeutically-effective amount of a composition comprising one or more agents which modulate the level or activity of a polypeptide involved in the synthesis or degradation of sphingosine-1-phosphate in said subject, wherein said negative-strand RNA virus is in a family selected from the group consisting of Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Filoviridae, Bornaviridae, and Bunyaviridae.