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Interplay between Host and Pathogen: Effects of Infection and Immune...
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Interplay between Host and Pathogen: Effects of Infection and Immune Responses

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Pathogens-host Immune Interface".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 14243

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Grazia Pavia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
Interests: antibiotic resistance; infectious disease; pathogenic molecular mechanisms; bacteriology; virology; antiviral resistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Gianfranco Di Gennaro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Græcia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Interests: epidemiology; advanced biostatistics; statistical modelling; neuroradiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The complex network of interactions between a host and pathogen determines the outcome of infection. Following invasion by a pathogen, the host cannot always neutralize the microorganism, which may survive as a persistent infection. Such a condition is crucial both environmentally and evolutionarily because it can affect infection prevalence, transmission and virulence evolution. However, the factors causing variation in infection outcomes, and the balance between clearance and virulence are not well understood. Within the host a number of processes may play a role in pathogen persistent infection or clearance. These include different degrees of host selective pressures such as: molecular, immunological, epidemiological, host heterogeneity, spatial structure, population bottlenecks and other stochastic processes. On the other hand, the variability in virulence of microorganisms impacts on pathogenicity and clearance rates. Thus, the variance in infection outcomes is thereby determined by how microbe virulence—and its components—relate to multiple host defence facets.

We are pleased to invite you, with the presentation of this special issue, to recent advances in the decoding of mechanisms of persistent infection and the role of host immune response on clinical outcomes, as well as investigation of the interactions between invading pathogen virulence factors and the immune system of the host organism tasked with counteracting them.

This Special Issue aims to point out new insights into the host-pathogen interplay. In particular, it should provide valuable findings in the virulence and immunological mechanisms underlying such interactions, and their role in host defence. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Adding new information on these subjects may lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of different diseases and aid in the design of new therapeutic and prophylactic strategies.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Grazia Pavia
Dr. Gianfranco Di Gennaro
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

  • host immune response
  • virulence determinants
  • pathogen-host interaction
  • immune responses
  • therapeutic strategies
  • vaccines

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 2025 KiB  
Article
Immune Cell Profiles of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease during Parvovirus B19–Induced Transient Red Cell Aplasia
by E. Kaitlynn Allen, Rhiannon R. Penkert, Jane S. Hankins, Sherri L. Surman, Lee-Ann Van de Velde, Alyssa Cotton, Randall T. Hayden, Li Tang, Xiaomeng Yuan, Ying Zheng, Paul G. Thomas and Julia L. Hurwitz
Vaccines 2024, 12(9), 984; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12090984 - 29 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1317
Abstract
Parvovirus B19 frequently infects children and targets cells of the erythroid lineage. Although healthy children rarely suffer severe disease, children with sickle cell disease (SCD) can experience transient red cell aplasia (TRCA), hospitalization, and life-threatening anemia upon first virus exposure. Given that children [...] Read more.
Parvovirus B19 frequently infects children and targets cells of the erythroid lineage. Although healthy children rarely suffer severe disease, children with sickle cell disease (SCD) can experience transient red cell aplasia (TRCA), hospitalization, and life-threatening anemia upon first virus exposure. Given that children with SCD can also suffer chronic inflammation and that parvovirus B19 has been associated with autoimmune disease in other patient populations, we asked if parvovirus B19 infections contributed to acute and chronic immune abnormalities in children with SCD. Nineteen hospitalized patients with SCD and parvovirus B19–induced TRCA were evaluated. Blood tests included CBC, flow cytometry, and total antibody isotype analyses. Cytokine/chemokine analyses were performed on nasal wash (NW) samples, representing a common site of viral entry. Unusually high white blood cell count (WBC) and absolute neutrophil count (ANC) values were observed in some patients. A correlation matrix with Day 0 values from the 19 patients then identified two mutually exclusive phenotype clusters. Cluster 1 included WBC, ANC, absolute reticulocyte count (ARC), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), NW cytokines/chemokines, % naïve cells among B cell and T cell populations, and parvovirus-specific IgG. This cluster was negatively associated with virus load, suggesting a signature of successful adaptive immunity and virus control. Cluster 2 included virus load, % CD38+CD24− cells among CD19+ B cells (termed ‘plasmablasts’ for simplicity), % HLA-DRlow cells among CD19+ B cells, IgG4, and % memory phenotypes among B cell and T cell populations. Plasmablast percentages correlated negatively with parvovirus-specific IgG, possibly reflecting a non-specific trigger of cell activation. All patients were released from the hospital within 1 week after admission, and the highest WBC and ANC values were eventually reduced. Nonetheless, a concern remained that the acutely abnormal immune profiles caused by parvovirus B19 infections could exacerbate chronic inflammation in some patients. To avoid the numerous sequelae known to affect patients with SCD following hospitalizations with parvovirus B19, rapid development of a parvovirus B19 vaccine is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interplay between Host and Pathogen: Effects of Infection and Immune Responses)
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12 pages, 1520 KiB  
Article
Characterization of the Monkeypox Virus [MPX]-Specific Immune Response in MPX-Cured Individuals Using Whole Blood to Monitor Memory Response
by Elisa Petruccioli, Settimia Sbarra, Serena Vita, Andrea Salmi, Gilda Cuzzi, Patrizia De Marco, Giulia Matusali, Assunta Navarra, Luca Pierelli, Alba Grifoni, Alessandro Sette, Fabrizio Maggi, Emanuele Nicastri and Delia Goletti
Vaccines 2024, 12(9), 964; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12090964 - 26 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1512
Abstract
Background: Monkeypox (Mpox) is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV), an Orthopoxvirus (OPXV). Since we are observing the first MPXV outbreak outside the African continent, the general population probably does not have a pre-existing memory response for MPXV but may have [...] Read more.
Background: Monkeypox (Mpox) is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV), an Orthopoxvirus (OPXV). Since we are observing the first MPXV outbreak outside the African continent, the general population probably does not have a pre-existing memory response for MPXV but may have immunity against the previous smallpox vaccine based on a live replicating Vaccinia strain (VACV). Using a whole blood platform, we aim to study the MPXV- T-cell-specific response in Mpox-cured subjects. Methods: We enrolled 16 subjects diagnosed with Mpox in the previous 3–7 months and 15 healthy donors (HD) with no recent vaccination history. Whole blood was stimulated overnight with MPXV and VACV peptides to elicit CD4 and CD8 T-cell-specific responses, which were evaluated by ELISA and multiplex assay. Results: Mpox-cured subjects showed a significant IFN-γ T-cell response to MPXV and VACV. Besides IFN-γ, IL-6, IP-10, IL-8, IL-2, G-CSF, MCP-1, MIP1-α, MIP-1β, IL-1Rα, and IL-5 were significantly induced after specific stimulation compared to the unstimulated control. The specific response was mainly induced by the CD4 peptides MPX-CD4-E and VACV-CD4. Conclusions: We showed that MPXV-specific responses have a mixed Th1- and Th2-response in a whole blood platform assay, which may be useful for monitoring the specific immunity induced by vaccination or infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interplay between Host and Pathogen: Effects of Infection and Immune Responses)
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12 pages, 1245 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of IL-35, as a Possible Biomarker for Follow-Up after Therapy, in Chronic Human Schistosoma Infection
by Nadia Marascio, Maria Teresa Loria, Grazia Pavia, Cinzia Peronace, Neill James Adams, Morena Campolo, Francesca Divenuto, Angelo Giuseppe Lamberti, Aida Giancotti, Giorgio Settimo Barreca, Maria Mazzitelli, Enrico Maria Trecarichi, Carlo Torti, Francesca Perandin, Zeno Bisoffi, Angela Quirino and Giovanni Matera
Vaccines 2023, 11(5), 995; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11050995 - 17 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5729
Abstract
The host response to helminth infections is characterized by systemic and tissue-related immune responses that play a crucial role in pathological diseases. Recently, experimental studies have highlighted the role of regulatory T (Tregs) and B (Bregs) cells with secreted cytokines as important markers [...] Read more.
The host response to helminth infections is characterized by systemic and tissue-related immune responses that play a crucial role in pathological diseases. Recently, experimental studies have highlighted the role of regulatory T (Tregs) and B (Bregs) cells with secreted cytokines as important markers in anti-schistosomiasis immunity. We investigated the serical levels of five cytokines (TNFα, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-35) in pre- and post-treatment samples from chronic Schistosoma infected patients to identify potential serological markers during follow-up therapy. Interestingly, we highlighted an increased serum level of IL-35 in the pre-therapy samples (median 439 pg/mL for Schistosoma haematobium and 100.5 pg/mL for Schistsoma mansoni infected patients) compared to a control group (median 62 pg/mL and 58 pg/mL, respectively, p ≤ 0.05), and a significantly lower concentration in post-therapy samples (181 pg/mL for S. haematobium and 49.5 pg/mL for S. mansoni infected patients, p ≤ 0.05). The present study suggests the possible role of IL-35 as a novel serological biomarker in the evaluation of Schistosoma therapy follow-up. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interplay between Host and Pathogen: Effects of Infection and Immune Responses)
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Review

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29 pages, 1137 KiB  
Review
Virulence and Immune Evasion Strategies of FMDV: Implications for Vaccine Design
by Gisselle N. Medina and Fayna Diaz San Segundo
Vaccines 2024, 12(9), 1071; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12091071 - 19 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1677
Abstract
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is globally recognized as a highly economically devastating and prioritized viral disease affecting livestock. Vaccination remains a crucial preventive measure against FMD. The improvement of current vaccine platforms could help control outbreaks, leading to the potential eradication of the disease. [...] Read more.
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is globally recognized as a highly economically devastating and prioritized viral disease affecting livestock. Vaccination remains a crucial preventive measure against FMD. The improvement of current vaccine platforms could help control outbreaks, leading to the potential eradication of the disease. In this review, we describe the variances in virulence and immune responses among FMD-susceptible host species, specifically bovines and pigs, highlighting the details of host–pathogen interactions and their impact on the severity of the disease. This knowledge serves as an important foundation for translating our insights into the rational design of vaccines and countermeasure strategies, including the use of interferon as a biotherapeutic agent. Ultimately, in this review, we aim to bridge the gap between our understanding of FMDV biology and the practical approaches to control and potentially eradicate FMD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interplay between Host and Pathogen: Effects of Infection and Immune Responses)
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22 pages, 912 KiB  
Review
Studying T Cell Responses to Hepatotropic Viruses in the Liver Microenvironment
by Jarrett Lopez-Scarim, Shashank Manohar Nambiar and Eva Billerbeck
Vaccines 2023, 11(3), 681; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030681 - 17 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2841
Abstract
T cells play an important role in the clearance of hepatotropic viruses but may also cause liver injury and contribute to disease progression in chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections which affect millions of people worldwide. The liver provides a unique microenvironment [...] Read more.
T cells play an important role in the clearance of hepatotropic viruses but may also cause liver injury and contribute to disease progression in chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections which affect millions of people worldwide. The liver provides a unique microenvironment of immunological tolerance and hepatic immune regulation can modulate the functional properties of T cell subsets and influence the outcome of a virus infection. Extensive research over the last years has advanced our understanding of hepatic conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and unconventional T cell subsets and their functions in the liver environment during acute and chronic viral infections. The recent development of new small animal models and technological advances should further increase our knowledge of hepatic immunological mechanisms. Here we provide an overview of the existing models to study hepatic T cells and review the current knowledge about the distinct roles of heterogeneous T cell populations during acute and chronic viral hepatitis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interplay between Host and Pathogen: Effects of Infection and Immune Responses)
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