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Emerging and Re-emerging Zoonotic Viruses: Current Challenges in Vaccinology

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A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Vaccines".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 12817

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ahmed Mostafa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, 12622 Giza, Egypt
Interests: environmental and medical virology; antiviral research; vaccine development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Mahmoud M. Naguib

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
Interests: emerging viruses; avian diseases; influenza; genetics; virus-host interaction; transcriptomics; single cell genome; diagnostics; epidemiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging and re-emerging zoonoses constitute major threats to animal and human health and cause considerable socioeconomic problems globally. Vaccine is an important key in the control of several viral diseases in both animal and humans. Recently, the world was confronted with several zoonotic viral pathogens of epidemic and pandemic nature. Despite numerous efforts, the development of specific protective vaccines of satisfactory neutralizing capacity for these viral diseases remains elusive.

This special issue aims to serve as a collection of modern research in immune responses as well as vaccination targeting emerging and re-emerging zoonotic viruses. We invite scientists to submit their original research manuscript, literature reviews, and communications covering but not limited to the following topics: vaccine development and production, delivery methods, host immune response, and novel therapeutic interventions

Dr. Mahmoud M. Naguib
Dr. Ahmed Mostafa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Emerging viruses
immune responses
vaccination
zoonoses

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 3694 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Immunization with GP1 but Not Core-like Particles Displaying Isolated Receptor-Binding Epitopes Elicits Virus-Neutralizing Antibodies against Junín Virus

by Gleyder Roman-Sosa, Anne Leske, Xenia Ficht, Tung Huy Dau, Julia Holzerland, Thomas Hoenen, Martin Beer, Robert Kammerer, Reinhold Schirmbeck, Felix A. Rey, Sandra M. Cordo and Allison Groseth

Vaccines 2022, 10(2), 173; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines10020173 - 22 Jan 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2764

Abstract

New World arenaviruses are rodent-transmitted viruses and include a number of pathogens that are responsible for causing severe human disease. This includes Junín virus (JUNV), which is the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever. The wild nature and mobility of the rodent reservoir host makes it difficult to control the disease, and currently passive immunization with high-titer neutralizing antibody-containing plasma from convalescent patients is the only specific therapy. However, dwindling supplies of naturally available convalescent plasma, and challenges in developing similar resources for other closely related viruses, have made the development of alternative antibody-based therapeutic approaches of critical importance. In this study, we sought to induce a neutralizing antibody response in rabbits against the receptor-binding subunit of the viral glycoprotein, GP1, and the specific peptide sequences in GP1 involved in cellular receptor contacts. While these specific receptor-interacting peptides did not efficiently induce the production of neutralizing antibodies when delivered as a particulate antigen (as part of hepatitis B virus core-like particles), we showed that recombinant JUNV GP1 purified from transfected mammalian cells induced virus-neutralizing antibodies at high titers in rabbits. Further, neutralization was observed across a range of unrelated JUNV strains, a feature that is critical for effectiveness in the field. These results underscore the potential of GP1 alone to induce a potent neutralizing antibody response and highlight the importance of epitope presentation. In addition, effective virus neutralization by rabbit antibodies supports the potential applicability of this species for the future development of immunotherapeutics (e.g., based on humanized monoclonal antibodies). Such information can be applied in the design of vaccines and immunogens for both prevention and specific therapies against this and likely also other closely related pathogenic New World arenaviruses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Re-emerging Zoonotic Viruses: Current Challenges in Vaccinology)

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7 pages, 837 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Evaluation of Protective Efficacy of Influenza Virus Like Particles Prepared from H5N1 Virus of Clade 2.2.1.2 in Chickens

by Mohamed H. El-Husseiny, Naglaa M. Hagag, Peter Pushko, Irina Tretyakova, Mahmoud M. Naguib and Abdel Satar Arafa

Vaccines 2021, 9(7), 715; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines9070715 - 01 Jul 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2310

Abstract

Highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) viruses continue to cause severe economic losses in poultry species worldwide. HPAI virus of subtype H5N1 was reported in Egypt in 2006, and despite vaccination efforts, the virus has become endemic. The current study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccine in vivo using specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. The vaccine was prepared from the HPAI H5N1 virus of clade 2.2.1.2 using the baculovirus expression system. The VLPs were quantitated and characterized, including electron microscopy. In addition, the protection level of the VLPs was evaluated by using two different regimens, including one dose and two-dose vaccinated groups, which gave up to 70% and 100% protection level, respectively. The results of this study emphasize the potential usefulness of the VLPs-based vaccine as an alternative vaccine candidate for the control of AIV infection in poultry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Re-emerging Zoonotic Viruses: Current Challenges in Vaccinology)

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13 pages, 18266 KiB

Open AccessArticle

HCV Core/NS3 Protein Immunization with “N-Terminal Heat Shock gp96 Protein (rNT (gp96))” Induced Strong and Sustained Th1-Type Cytokines in Immunized Mice

by Zamaneh Hajikhezri, Farzin Roohvand, Monireh Maleki, Shohreh Shahmahmoodi, Ali Akbar Amirzargar, Abolfazl Keshavarz, Negar Seyed, Mohammad Farahmand and Katayoun Samimi-Rad

Vaccines 2021, 9(3), 215; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines9030215 - 03 Mar 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1874

Abstract

Feeble cellular responses induced by T cell-based vaccines are a major challenge for the development of an effective vaccine against Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. To address this challenge, the potential of N-terminal fragment of gp96 heat shock protein (rNT (gp96) as an adjuvant was evaluated and compared to that of the CpG (as a recognized Th1-type adjuvant) in the formulation of HCV core/NS3 antigens in three immunization strategies of protein/protein, DNA/DNA, and DNA/protein. Immunized mice were evaluated for elicited immune responses in week 3 (W3) and 11 post-immunizations. Our results demonstrated that the protein (subunit) vaccine formulated with rNT (gp96) in protein/protein strategy (core/NS3 + gp96) was significantly more efficient than CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) formulation and all other immunization strategies in the induction of Th1-type cytokines. This group of mice (core/NS3 + gp96) also elicited a high level of anti-Core-NS3 total immunoglobulin G (IgG) with dominant IgG2a isotype at W3. Thus, the co-administration of recombinant NT (gp96) protein with rHCV proteins might be a promising approach in the formulation of HCV subunit vaccine candidates for induction of high levels of Th1 cytokines and humoral responses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Re-emerging Zoonotic Viruses: Current Challenges in Vaccinology)

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Review

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40 pages, 1412 KiB

Open AccessReview

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Control between Drug Repurposing and Vaccination: A Comprehensive Overview

by Ahmed A. Al-Karmalawy, Raya Soltane, Ayman Abo Elmaaty, Mohamed A. Tantawy, Samar A. Antar, Galal Yahya, Amani Chrouda, Rami Adel Pashameah, Muhamad Mustafa, Mobarak Abu Mraheil and Ahmed Mostafa

Vaccines 2021, 9(11), 1317; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines9111317 - 12 Nov 2021

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 4814

Abstract

Respiratory viruses represent a major public health concern, as they are highly mutated, resulting in new strains emerging with high pathogenicity. Currently, the world is suffering from the newly evolving severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a mild-to-severe respiratory tract infection with frequent ability to give rise to fatal pneumonia in humans. The overwhelming outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 continues to unfold all over the world, urging scientists to put an end to this global pandemic through biological and pharmaceutical interventions. Currently, there is no specific treatment option that is capable of COVID-19 pandemic eradication, so several repurposed drugs and newly conditionally approved vaccines are in use and heavily applied to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergence of new variants of the virus that partially or totally escape from the immune response elicited by the approved vaccines requires continuous monitoring of the emerging variants to update the content of the developed vaccines or modify them totally to match the new variants. Herein, we discuss the potential therapeutic and prophylactic interventions including repurposed drugs and the newly developed/approved vaccines, highlighting the impact of virus evolution on the immune evasion of the virus from currently licensed vaccines for COVID-19. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Re-emerging Zoonotic Viruses: Current Challenges in Vaccinology)

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