Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.2
3.9
Journals
Biomedicines
Special Issues
Emerging Viral Infectious Diseases: Immunology, Therapeutics and Prevention in Post...
share announcement

Emerging Viral Infectious Diseases: Immunology, Therapeutics and Prevention in Post Pandemic Era

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Immunology and Immunotherapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 5709

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yashavanth Shaan Lakshmanappa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Interests: SARS-CoV-2; infectious diseases immunology; HIV; Virus infectious diseases vaccinology; emerging infectious diseases; global one health; veterinary vaccines & diagnostics.
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on “Emerging Viral Infectious Diseases: Immunology, Therapeutics and Prevention during a Post-Pandemic Era” is mainly focused on the study of the immunology, viral–host interaction, and immunotherapy of (re-)emerging viral infectious diseases in humans, animals, and mammals. 

The world experienced a deadly pandemic in 2020, and since then, the scientific world has mainly focused on the control, prevention, and study of the aftereffects of COVID-19. During this period, the study of existing/emerging viral diseases was given a lower priority. The pandemic has changed the disease incidence, immune responses, and mortality rates of various epidemic and endemic viral diseases, such as influenza virus, RSV, etc.

Further, re-emerging viruses have the tendency to mutate and infect unnatural hosts, leading to the emergence of new viral infections with the capacity to infect humans, animals, and other mammals, and eventually leading to pandemic conditions in the future similar to COVID-19. In the phase of preparation for future pandemics, it is necessary for the research community to study in detail the changes in mechanisms underlying virus mutation, virus–host interaction, viral immunology, possible treatment, and potent vaccine candidates for viral infections post-COVID-19. With the above considerations, it is the right time to invite scientific research articles from various disciplines to demonstrate the impact the pandemic has had on the changing immunology and virus–host interaction of infectious and tropical diseases involving viruses, to update our knowledge on the various new approaches that are being implemented in viral infectious diseases research across the globe. We welcome original articles and comprehensive reviews.

Dr. Yashavanth Shaan Lakshmanappa
Guest Editor

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. Biomedicines 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 2600 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.

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 1757 KiB  
Article
Severe Malaria in Angola: The Clinical Profile and Disease Outcome Among Adults from a Low-Endemic Area
by Inês Morais, Soraia Rodrigues, Aida Mas, Serguei Escalon, Adalzira Borrego, Fatima Nogueira and Maria Lina Antunes
Biomedicines 2024, 12(11), 2639; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12112639 - 19 Nov 2024
Viewed by 369
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Severe malaria poses a significant public health concern in Angola, particularly among adults. This study assessed the clinical manifestations and outcomes of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in adult patients admitted to Hospital Central Dr. António Agostinho Neto of Lubango (HCL), Angola. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Severe malaria poses a significant public health concern in Angola, particularly among adults. This study assessed the clinical manifestations and outcomes of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in adult patients admitted to Hospital Central Dr. António Agostinho Neto of Lubango (HCL), Angola. Methods: The study retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients over 14 years old admitted with severe malaria during the first quarter of 2021 and 2022, coinciding with the peak transmission season. The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were used to clarify the disease severity. The cohort included 640 patients—167 in 2021 and 473 in 2022—distributed across the following departments: the Intensive Care Unit (ICU; n = 81), Medicine (MED; n = 458) and Infectiology (INF; n = 101). Results: The median age was 26 years and 59.4% were males. Renal impairment was the most frequent severe manifestation, affecting 37.4% of cases. The mortality rate across the study period was 7%, showing a notable decrease from 10.2% in 2021 to 5.9% in 2022. The higher mortality rate in 2021 may reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited hospital access and delayed care, resulting in more critical cases being admitted at a later stage. In 2022, with reduced COVID-19 pressures, earlier access to treatment may have improved outcomes, contributing to the lower mortality rate. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the need to assess the clinical burden of severe malaria in low-endemic regions, where shifting patterns may signal emerging threats such as antimalarial drug resistance. Further research is essential to optimize control strategies and strengthen surveillance systems, reducing morbidity and mortality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Viral Infectious Diseases: Immunology, Therapeutics and Prevention in Post Pandemic Era)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 3513 KiB  
Article
Antipathogenic Activity of Betainized Polyethyleneimine Sprays Without Toxicity
by Selin S. Suner, Ramesh S. Ayyala and Nurettin Sahiner
Biomedicines 2024, 12(11), 2462; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12112462 - 26 Oct 2024
Viewed by 806
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The design of alternative antipathogenic sprays has recently attracted much attention due to the limitations of existing formulations, such as toxicity and low and narrow efficacy. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is a great antimicrobial polymer against a wide range of pathogens, but toxicity [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The design of alternative antipathogenic sprays has recently attracted much attention due to the limitations of existing formulations, such as toxicity and low and narrow efficacy. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is a great antimicrobial polymer against a wide range of pathogens, but toxicity limits its use. Here, betainized PEI (B-PEI) was synthesized to decrease the toxicity of PEI and protonated with citric acid (CA), boric acid (BA), and HCl to improve antimicrobial activity. Methods: Cytotoxicity of the PEI-based solutions was determined on L929 fibroblast cells. Antibacterial/fungal activity of PEI-based antipathogenic sprays was investigated by microtiter and disc diffusion assays, in addition to bacterial viability and adhesion % of common bacteria and fungi on the PEI-treated masks. Furthermore, the antiviral effect of the PEI-based solutions was determined against SARS-CoV-2 virus. Results: The biosafe concentration of PEI was determined as 1 μg/mL with 75 ± 11% cell viability, but B-PEI and its protonated forms had great biocompatibility even at 1000 μg/mL with more than 85% viability. The antibacterial/fungal effect of non-toxic B-PEI was improved by protonation with BA and HCl with 2.5–10 mg/mL minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations (MBCs/MFCs). Bacterial/fungal viability and adhesion on the mask was almost eliminated by using 50 μL with 5–10 mg/mL of B-PEI-BA. Both protonated bare and betainized PEI show potent antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 virus. Conclusions: The toxicity of PEI was overcome by using betainized forms of PEI (B-PEI). Furthermore, the antimicrobial and antiviral efficacy of PEI and B-PEI was improved by protonation with CA, BA, and HCl of amine groups on B-PEI. B-PEI-BA spray solution has great potential as an antipathogenic spray with broad-spectrum antimicrobial potency against harmful bacteria, fungi, and viruses without any toxicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Viral Infectious Diseases: Immunology, Therapeutics and Prevention in Post Pandemic Era)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1437 KiB  
Article
Eucalyptus Essential Oil Inhibits Cell Infection by SARS-CoV-2 Spike Pseudotyped Lentivirus
by Sara Alonso Fernandez, Hector F. Pelaez-Prestel, Alvaro Ras-Carmona, Juan Mozas-Gutierrez, Raquel Reyes-Manzanas and Pedro A. Reche
Biomedicines 2024, 12(8), 1885; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12081885 - 19 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1119
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains a public health concern due to infections with new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Therefore, finding effective preventive and therapeutic treatments against all SARS-CoV-2 variants is of great interest. In this study, we examined the capacity of eucalyptus [...] Read more.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains a public health concern due to infections with new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Therefore, finding effective preventive and therapeutic treatments against all SARS-CoV-2 variants is of great interest. In this study, we examined the capacity of eucalyptus essential oil (EEO) and eucalyptol (EOL) to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, using as a model SARS-CoV-2 Spike pseudotyped lentivirus (SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus) and 293T cells transfected with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2-293T cells). First, we determined the cytotoxicity of EEO and EOL using the MTT colorimetric assay, selecting non-cytotoxic concentrations ≤ 0.1% (v/v) for further analysis. Subsequently, we evaluated the capacity of EEO and EOL in cell cultures to preclude infection of hACE2-293T cells by SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus, using a luciferase-based assay. We found that EEO and EOL significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection, obtaining IC50 values of 0.00895% and 0.0042% (v/v), respectively. Likewise, EEO and EOL also reduced infection by vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudovirus, although higher concentrations were required. Hence, EEO and EOL may be able to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection, at least partially, through a Spike-independent pathway, supporting the implementation of aromatherapy with these agents as a cost-effective antiviral measure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Viral Infectious Diseases: Immunology, Therapeutics and Prevention in Post Pandemic Era)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 1769 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Safety and Potency of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) Vaccine Inactivated with Different Concentrations of Formalin and Comparative Evaluation of In Vitro and In Vivo Methods of Virus Titration in KFD Vaccine
by Ullas Gowda K. Srikanth, Chandranaik B. Marinaik, Amitha Reena Gomes, Doddamane Rathnamma, Sonnahallipura M. Byregowda, Shrikrishna Isloor, Archana Munivenkatarayappa, Mudalagiri D. Venkatesha, Suguna Rao, Apsana Rizwan and Raveendra Hegde
Biomedicines 2023, 11(7), 1871; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11071871 - 30 Jun 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2799
Abstract
We evaluated the safety and potency of the Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) vaccine inactivated with different formalin concentrations in mice, since the side effects due to higher formalin concentrations have been a major reason for vaccine refusal. Furthermore, with an objective to reduce [...] Read more.
We evaluated the safety and potency of the Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) vaccine inactivated with different formalin concentrations in mice, since the side effects due to higher formalin concentrations have been a major reason for vaccine refusal. Furthermore, with an objective to reduce the use of mice in vaccine testing, we performed quantification of the KFD virus by real-time PCR and compared it with in vivo titration in mice. The KFD vaccine prepared in chicken embryo fibroblast cells was inactivated with 0.04%, 0.06%, and 0.08% concentrations of formalin. The vaccine inactivated with 0.04% and 0.06% formalin failed the safety test, whereas the KFD vaccine inactivated with 0.08% formalin was safe and potent with a log protective index of 5678 in mice. This reduced formalin content may induce no/lesser side-effects of pain/swelling which may increase the vaccine acceptance. The real-time PCR on individual KFD vaccine harvests interpreted that when the CT value of each harvest is <20, the vaccine will have sufficient viral particles to pass the potency test. Comparison of the real-time PCR on tenfold dilutions of the pooled harvests with in vivo mice inoculation test revealed that the 1MLD50 of the vaccine lies in the tenfold dilution that yields CT values between 31 and 34. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Viral Infectious Diseases: Immunology, Therapeutics and Prevention in Post Pandemic Era)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop