Development of Vaccines against Zika Virus

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2018) | Viewed by 24920

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
2. GeneOne Life Science Inc., Fort Washington, PA 19034, USA
Interests: development of prophylactic and therapeutic synthetic vaccines to offer broad; rapid; and sustained protection against pathogen and cancer targets
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Guest Editor
Perinatal Pathology Consulting, Atlanta, GA, USA
Interests: perinatal, placental and obstetrical pathology; emerging infectious diseases; global maternal & child health; tropical medicine; pregnancy complications; stillbirth; maternal and infant mortality; medical epidemiology; medical anthropology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
1. Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
2. Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
3. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Interests: vaccine development; animal models; clinical trials; monoclonal antibodies; outbreak response

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a neurotropic, mosquito-transmitted flavivirus, which recently, and alarmingly, has been demonstrated to be transmitted by sexual and transplacental routes. Of relevance is the transplacental route of infection because of its association with the development of microcephaly and other severe birth defects in babies born to ZIKV infected mothers. Currently, there are no approved vaccines or therapies to combat ZIKV infection. Immune-based therapies have historically been successful in controlling a number of viral infections. Therefore, development of new vaccines and therapies that can confer immunity and/or treat clinical symptoms of ZIKV is greatly desired.

I am writing to invite you to contribute a review article to a Special Issue of Vaccines (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines), entitled “Development of Vaccines against Zika Virus”. There is flexibility regarding the title of your review, however, having seen your work in the field, I am particularly interested in featuring an article on “vaccines for Zika virus” for this Special Issue. Topics, such as what is the current state-of-the-art, limitations and comparisons with other viruses, will be highly valued. I am happy for you to work with any co-authors you feel necessary and I hope that, as an expert in the field, you will agree to contribute. The journal is looking at a timeline of August 2018. Should you kindly accept my invitation, I would require your article by around the end of June 2018, if possible, for the scheduled August 2018 publication.

I hope that you will agree to share your expertise in this area by writing a review article for our Special Issue. The journal will follow up with instructions and other logistics for your review. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Dr. Kar Muthumani
Dr. David A. Schwartz
Dr. Gary Kobinger
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Zika virus
  • Flaviviruses
  • Vaccines
  • Animal models
  • Immunopathology
  • Immune responses
  • Challenge
  • Clinical trials

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Review

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18 pages, 634 KiB  
Review
Fast Tracks and Roadblocks for Zika Vaccines
by Khairunnisa Abdul Ghaffar, Lisa F.P. Ng and Laurent Renia
Vaccines 2018, 6(4), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines6040077 - 21 Nov 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4687
Abstract
In early 2014, a relatively obscure virus, the Zika virus, made headlines worldwide following an increase in the number of congenital malformations. Since then, research on Zika virus, treatment and vaccines have progressed swiftly with various drugs being repurposed and vaccines heading into [...] Read more.
In early 2014, a relatively obscure virus, the Zika virus, made headlines worldwide following an increase in the number of congenital malformations. Since then, research on Zika virus, treatment and vaccines have progressed swiftly with various drugs being repurposed and vaccines heading into clinical trials. Nonetheless, the need for a vaccine is crucial in order to eradicate this re-emerging arthropod-borne virus which remained silent since its first discovery in 1947. In this review, we focused on how the inconspicuous virus managed to spread, the key immunological factors required for a vaccine and the various vaccine platforms that are currently being studied. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Vaccines against Zika Virus)
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13 pages, 246 KiB  
Review
Assay Challenges for Emerging Infectious Diseases: The Zika Experience
by Christine C. Roberts and Joel N. Maslow
Vaccines 2018, 6(4), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines6040070 - 2 Oct 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4160
Abstract
From the perspective of vaccine development, it is imperative to accurately diagnose target infections in order to exclude subjects with prior exposure from evaluations of vaccine effectiveness, to track incident infection during the course of a clinical trial and to differentiate immune reactions [...] Read more.
From the perspective of vaccine development, it is imperative to accurately diagnose target infections in order to exclude subjects with prior exposure from evaluations of vaccine effectiveness, to track incident infection during the course of a clinical trial and to differentiate immune reactions due to natural infections from responses that are vaccine related. When vaccine development is accelerated to a rapid pace in response to emerging infectious disease threats, the challenges to develop such diagnostic tools is even greater. This was observed through the recent expansion of Zika virus infections into the Western Hemisphere in 2014–2017. When initial Zika vaccine clinical trials were being designed and launched in response to the outbreak, there were no standardized sets of viral and immunological assays, and no approved diagnostic tests for Zika virus infection. The diagnosis of Zika virus infection is still an area of active research and development on many fronts. Here we review emerging infectious disease vaccine clinical assay development and trial execution with a special focus on the state of Zika virus clinical assays and diagnostics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Vaccines against Zika Virus)
13 pages, 658 KiB  
Review
Zika Virus Vaccines: Challenges and Perspectives
by Raquel Das Neves Almeida, Trina Racine, Kelly G. Magalhães and Gary P. Kobinger
Vaccines 2018, 6(3), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines6030062 - 13 Sep 2018
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 7781
Abstract
Zika virus is an arbovirus that has rapidly spread within the Americas since 2014, presenting a variety of clinical manifestations and neurological complications resulting in congenital malformation, microcephaly, and possibly, in male infertility. These significant clinical manifestations have led investigators to develop several [...] Read more.
Zika virus is an arbovirus that has rapidly spread within the Americas since 2014, presenting a variety of clinical manifestations and neurological complications resulting in congenital malformation, microcephaly, and possibly, in male infertility. These significant clinical manifestations have led investigators to develop several candidate vaccines specific to Zika virus. In this review we describe relevant targets for the development of vaccines specific for Zika virus, the development status of various vaccine candidates and their different platforms, as well as their clinical progression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Vaccines against Zika Virus)
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16 pages, 257 KiB  
Perspective
Clinical Trials and Administration of Zika Virus Vaccine in Pregnant Women: Lessons (that Should Have Been) Learned from Excluding Immunization with the Ebola Vaccine during Pregnancy and Lactation
by David A. Schwartz
Vaccines 2018, 6(4), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines6040081 - 4 Dec 2018
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 7520
Abstract
As evidenced from recent epidemics, both Ebola and Zika virus infection are potentially catastrophic when occurring in pregnant women. Ebola virus causes extremely high rates of mortality in both mothers and infants; Zika virus is a TORCH infection that produces a congenital malformation [...] Read more.
As evidenced from recent epidemics, both Ebola and Zika virus infection are potentially catastrophic when occurring in pregnant women. Ebola virus causes extremely high rates of mortality in both mothers and infants; Zika virus is a TORCH infection that produces a congenital malformation syndrome and pediatric neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Production of efficacious vaccines has been a public health priority for both infections. Unfortunately, during the clinical trials and subsequent deployment of a vaccine for the Ebola virus, pregnant and lactating women were, and continue to be, excluded from receiving the life-saving vaccine. The most serious consequence of Zika virus infection, congenital Zika syndrome, results from fetal infection during pregnancy. Thus, pregnant women have a major stake in the ongoing development of a vaccine for Zika virus. The exclusion of pregnant women from the development, clinical trials and administration of a potential Zika vaccine unfairly deprives them and their infants of the protection they need against this potentially catastrophic intrauterine infection. When creating policy about these issues, it is important to critically evaluate vaccine safety in pregnancy in the context of the substantial risk of infection for the pregnant woman and her fetus in the absence of immunization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Vaccines against Zika Virus)
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