Current Advances in Antivirals and Vaccines
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 May 2024 | Viewed by 165
Special Issue Editor
Interests: HIV; antivirals and vaccines; drug resistance; pathogenesis; antibody neutralization; virus evolution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The need for antivirals and vaccines has never been greater. These two essential components of public health play a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Here are some key reasons for their importance:
- Disease prevention: Vaccines are one of the most effective tools for preventing infectious diseases. They stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against specific pathogens, providing immunity without causing the disease itself. This prevention has been essential in eradicating or controlling many deadly diseases, such as polio, measles and smallpox.
- Pandemic control: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgency of vaccine development and distribution. Vaccines are essential to contain the spread of infectious diseases and reduce their impact on public health, the economy and daily life.
- Treatment of existing infections: Antiviral medicines are essential for treating people who are already infected with a virus. They can reduce the duration and severity of illness and, in some cases, be lifesaving. Antivirals such as Tamiflu for influenza or Remdesivir for COVID-19 are examples of their effectiveness.
- Antiviral resistance: Just as bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics, viruses can become resistant to antiviral drugs. Continued research and development of antiviral drugs is essential to stay ahead of evolving viruses and prevent potential public health crises.
- Global health equity: The availability and affordability of vaccines and antivirals can address health inequities on a global scale. Efforts such as COVAX aim to provide equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries, regardless of their economic resources.
- Herd immunity: In addition to protecting individuals, vaccines also contribute to herd immunity. When a sufficient percentage of a population is vaccinated, the spread of disease is prevented and vulnerable individuals who cannot be vaccinated are protected.
- Preparedness for emerging threats: As new viruses and infectious diseases emerge, the development and use of vaccines and antivirals become essential tools to mitigate their impact and prevent widespread outbreaks.
In conclusion, antivirals and vaccines are essential public health tools. They protect individuals, communities and the global population from infectious diseases and are therefore essential to safeguarding our well-being and ensuring a healthier and safer world. Continued research, development and equitable distribution of these medical interventions are essential to address current and future health challenges.
We invite you to submit your best work for our Special Issue on antivirals and vaccines.
Prof. Dr. Nuno Taveira
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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
- disease prevention
- pandemic control
- treatment of existing infections
- antiviral resistance
- global health equity
- herd immunity
- preparedness for emerging threats
