Challenges and Advances in Vaccines against Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases Impacting One Health

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2023) | Viewed by 11389

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
Interests: vaccine development against dairy mastitis pathogens; resistance modulation of multiple drug resistant bacteria by plant extracts, nanoparticles, and NSAIDS

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Guest Editor
Quality Operation Labs (ISO Certified), University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
Interests: vaccines against infectious diseases; molecular biology; virology; bacteriology; mycology

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Guest Editor
C2i’s Program 2, Novel Vaccine Platforms for Influenza, Centre for Immunology and Infection, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, China
Interests: establishment of the next-generation vaccines and immunobiology for respiratory viral infectious diseases; influenza; COVID-19; small laboratory animal models

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Guest Editor
1. Research Associate Novel Vaccine Platforms for Influenza Program 2, Centre for Immunology and Infection, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, China
2. Research Assistant, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Interests: the development of vaccines against infectious animal and human diseases; evaluation of immune responses; animal models

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite contributions to a Special Issue of the journal Vaccines, entitled “Challenges and Advances in Vaccines against Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases Impacting One Health”. Vaccines is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, open-access journal on public health. More information about the journal can be found at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines.

One health is concise concept to optimize health on this planet by taking care of animals, humans, and the environment. Infectious agents constantly infect all three key tiers of one health, while remedies control their impacts. Vaccines have always been the hope at mass level, although challenges run side by side. Vaccine failures and the advent of new disease or modified forms of disease require comprehensive analyses, exploring the deep lying issues. Hence, it is of great interest to gain knowledge on the challenges and advances in finding vaccines for veterinary and public health in terms of the formulation, production, application, field trials, failures, successes, issues, and economic impacts on animals, humans, and the environment. Outbreaks of lumpy skin virus, West Nile virus, monkeypox virus, rabies virus Leptospira, foot and mouth disease virus, avian influenza virus, Staphylococcus, and animal-side Pasteurella are common. On the other hand, COVID-19, Zika virus, Ebola virus, polio virus, and etiologies of measles, pneumonia, hepatitis, chicken, human papilloma, etc., occur on the human side. We are focusing on exploring the underlying mechanisms and root causes for obstacles as well as advances that can further help improve one health. Topics of interests should encompass molecular mechanisms that trigger protective immune responses from immunization and evaluating the contribution of adjuvants and immunomodulatory molecules to vaccine immunogenicity and induction of long-lasting immunological memory.

This Special Issue covers all the possible contemporary challenges being faced in relation to vaccines of both animals and humans and their relationship with health, environmental, and economic impacts. Advances such as nanotechnology, the use of subunit vaccines, and cutting-edge techniques for the better formulation of successful vaccines will also form a salient part of this Special Issue.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Root causes of failure of veterinary vaccines in field applications;
  • Underlying facts highlighting challenges to human vaccines;
  • Vaccines against re-emerging diseases of veterinary and public health;
  • Vaccines against novel pandemics/epidemics such as COVID-19, lumpy skin disease, monkey pox, etc.;
  • Economic impacts of vaccines;
  • The role of nanotechnology and other cutting-edge techniques in vaccine development;
  • Adverse impacts of vaccines;
  • Response of public against vaccination in different parts of the world;
  • Role of applied techniques such as epidemiological and statistical models in the success of vaccines.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Amjad Islam Aqib
Prof. Dr. Aftab Ahmad Anjum
Dr. Md Atiqul Islam
Dr. Asad Murtaza
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

  • vaccinology
  • challenges
  • advances
  • one health
  • nanotechnology
  • molecular and biotechnological techniques
  • economic and public health

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 478 KiB  
Editorial
Recent Global Trends in Vaccinology, Advances and Challenges
by Amjad Islam Aqib, Aftab Ahmad Anjum, Md Atiqul Islam, Asad Murtaza and Aziz ur Rehman
Vaccines 2023, 11(3), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030520 - 23 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1786
Abstract
Vaccination/immunization plays a key role in maintaining the optimum health of humans and animals where the prevalence of disease is high and treatment becomes less effective [...] Full article
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Research

Jump to: Editorial

20 pages, 4570 KiB  
Article
Structural and Phylogenetic Analysis of CXCR4 Protein Reveals New Insights into Its Role in Emerging and Re-Emerging Diseases in Mammals
by Fouzia Naheed, Rabia Mumtaz, Sana Shabbir, Arshad Jamil, Akhtar Rasool Asif, Abdur Rahman, Hafiz Ishfaq Ahmad, Muhammad Essa, Hammad Akhtar, Samy F. Mahmoud, Fatimah Othman Alghamdi, Hala Abdulrahman Al Amari and Jinping Chen
Vaccines 2023, 11(3), 671; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030671 - 16 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1691
Abstract
Chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) is a G protein-coupled receptor that plays an essential role in immune system function and disease processes. Our study aims to conduct a comparative structural and phylogenetic analysis of the CXCR4 protein to gain insights into [...] Read more.
Chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) is a G protein-coupled receptor that plays an essential role in immune system function and disease processes. Our study aims to conduct a comparative structural and phylogenetic analysis of the CXCR4 protein to gain insights into its role in emerging and re-emerging diseases that impact the health of mammals. In this study, we analyzed the evolution of CXCR4 genes across a wide range of mammalian species. The phylogenetic study showed species-specific evolutionary patterns. Our analysis revealed novel insights into the evolutionary history of CXCR4, including genetic changes that may have led to functional differences in the protein. This study revealed that the structural homologous human proteins and mammalian CXCR4 shared many characteristics. We also examined the three-dimensional structure of CXCR4 and its interactions with other molecules in the cell. Our findings provide new insights into the genomic landscape of CXCR4 in the context of emerging and re-emerging diseases, which could inform the development of more effective treatments or prevention strategies. Overall, our study sheds light on the vital role of CXCR4 in mammalian health and disease, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for various diseases impacting human and animal health. These findings provided insight into the study of human immunological disorders by indicating that Chemokines may have activities identical to or similar to those in humans and several mammalian species. Full article
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14 pages, 1431 KiB  
Article
Molecular Characterization and Selection of Indigenous SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant for the Development of the First Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine of Pakistan
by Muhammad Waqar Aziz, Nadia Mukhtar, Aftab Ahamd Anjum, Muhammad Hassan Mushtaq, Muhammad Furqan Shahid, Muzaffar Ali, Muhammad Abu Bakr Shabbir, Muhammad Asad Ali, Muhammad Nawaz and Tahir Yaqub
Vaccines 2023, 11(3), 607; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030607 - 07 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2047
Abstract
Vaccines are one of the efficient means available so far for preventing and controlling the infection rate of COVID-19. Several researchers have focused on the whole virus’s (SARS-CoV-2) inactivated vaccines which are economically efficient to produce. In Pakistan, multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 have [...] Read more.
Vaccines are one of the efficient means available so far for preventing and controlling the infection rate of COVID-19. Several researchers have focused on the whole virus’s (SARS-CoV-2) inactivated vaccines which are economically efficient to produce. In Pakistan, multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been reported since the start of the pandemic in February 2020. Due to the continuous evolution of the virus and economic recessions, the present study was designed to develop an indigenous inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that might help not only to prevent the COVID-19 in Pakistan, it will also save the country’s economic resources. The SARS-CoV-2 were isolated and characterized using the Vero-E6 cell culture system. The seed selection was carried out using cross-neutralization assay and phylogenetic analysis. The selected isolate of SARS-CoV-2 (hCoV-19/Pakistan/UHSPK3-UVAS268/2021) was inactivated using beta-propiolactone followed by vaccine formulation using Alum adjuvant, keeping the S protein concentration as 5 μg/dose. The vaccine efficacy was evaluated by in vivo immunogenicity testing in laboratory animals and in in vitro microneutralization test. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the SARS-CoV-2 isolates reported from Pakistan nested into different clades, representing multiple introductions of the virus into Pakistan. The antisera raised against various isolates from different waves in Pakistan showed a varied level of neutralization titers. However, the antisera produced against a variant (hCoV-19/Pakistan/UHSPK3-UVAS268/2021; fourth wave) efficiently neutralized (1:64–1:512) all the tested SARS-CoV-2 isolates. The inactivated whole virus vaccine of SARS-CoV-2 was safe and it also elicited a protective immune response in rabbits and rhesus macaques on the 35th-day post-vaccination. The activity of neutralizing antibodies of vaccinated animals was found at 1:256–1:1024 at 35 days post-vaccination, indicating the effectiveness of the double-dose regime of the indigenous SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Full article
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10 pages, 9554 KiB  
Article
Inactivation Performance of Pseudorabies Virus as African Swine Fever Virus Surrogate by Four Commercialized Disinfectants
by Zheng Ni, Liu Chen, Tao Yun, Ronghui Xie, Weicheng Ye, Jionggang Hua, Yinchu Zhu and Cun Zhang
Vaccines 2023, 11(3), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030579 - 02 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1345
Abstract
This study was based on similar physicochemical characteristics of pseudorabies virus (PRV) and African swine fever virus (ASFV). A cellular model for evaluation of disinfectants was established with PRV as an alternative marker strain. In the present study, we evaluated the disinfection performance [...] Read more.
This study was based on similar physicochemical characteristics of pseudorabies virus (PRV) and African swine fever virus (ASFV). A cellular model for evaluation of disinfectants was established with PRV as an alternative marker strain. In the present study, we evaluated the disinfection performance of commonly used commercialized disinfectants on PRV to provide a reference for the selection of good ASFV disinfectants. In addition, the disinfection (anti-virus) performances for four disinfectants were investigated based on the minimum effective concentration, onset time, action time, and operating temperature. Our results demonstrated that glutaraldehyde decamethylammonium bromide solution, peracetic acid solution, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, and povidone-iodine solution effectively inactivated PRV at concentrations 0.1, 0.5, 0.5, and 2.5 g/L on different time points 30, 5, 10, and 10 min, respectively. Specifically, peracetic acid exhibits optimized overall performance. Glutaraldehyde decamethylammonium bromide is cost effective but requires a long action time and the disinfectant activity is severely affected by low temperatures. Furthermore, povidone-iodine rapidly inactivates the virus and is not affected by environmental temperature, but its application is limited by a poor dilution ratio such as for local disinfection of the skin. This study provides a reference for the selection of disinfectants for ASFV. Full article
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11 pages, 1048 KiB  
Article
Insights into the Prognostic Role of Serum Interleukin-6 and Hematobiochemical Alterations in Cattle during Recent Outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease in Lodhran District, Pakistan
by Waqas Ahmad, Muhammad Abu Bakr Shabbir, Mehmood Ahmad, Muhammad Ovais Omer, Rana Muhammad Zahid Mushtaq, Sadaf Aroosa, Asif Iqbal and Arfa Majeed
Vaccines 2023, 11(1), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11010113 - 03 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1744
Abstract
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly infectious disease of cattle caused by a virus of the Poxviridae family, genus Capripoxvirus. The present study was designed to determine the prognostic ability of serum IL-6 in LSD using a binary logistic regression model at [...] Read more.
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly infectious disease of cattle caused by a virus of the Poxviridae family, genus Capripoxvirus. The present study was designed to determine the prognostic ability of serum IL-6 in LSD using a binary logistic regression model at baseline sampling. A 17-day cohort study was conducted on a recent outbreak of LSD among cattle in the Lodhran District of Punjab, Pakistan. Infected cattle were divided into two categories based on their clinical status on day 17 as recovered (n = 33) or unrecovered (n = 17). Nodular lesions and scab specimens (n = 50) were used for the isolation of the lumpy skin disease virus and were confirmed by PCR. In recovered animals, hematological results showed marked leukocytosis, eosinophilia, lymphocytosis, neutrophilia, and monocytopenia. However, marked erythrocytosis, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia were observed in the unrecovered animals at the final sampling point of the study. Serum levels of total protein, albumin, and glucose were significantly higher in the recovered animals. Meanwhile, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine phosphokinase, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin were found considerably higher in the unrecovered group. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis for serum IL-6 at baseline predicts the extended clinical conditions at the cut-off value of 85.16 pg/mL (55% specificity, 94% sensitivity, area under the curve 0.8039, respectively). In conclusion, the disease-induced hematological and biochemical alterations were significantly ameliorated in the recovered animals. In addition, the study revealed that serum IL-6 can be used as a valid marker for predicting the clinical worsening of LSD in cattle. Full article
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9 pages, 244 KiB  
Article
Immunoinformatics Approach for Epitope Mapping of Immunogenic Regions (N, F and H Gene) of Small Ruminant Morbillivirus and Its Comparative Analysis with Standard Vaccinal Strains for Effective Vaccine Development
by Muhammad Hasaan Aziz, Muhammad Zubair Shabbir, Muhammad Muddassir Ali, Zian Asif and Muhammad Usman Ijaz
Vaccines 2022, 10(12), 2179; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10122179 - 19 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1386
Abstract
Background: Outbreaks of small ruminant morbillivirus (SRMV) are regularly occurring in Pakistan despite vaccine availability. This study was designed to identify substitutions within the immunogenic structural and functional regions of the nucleocapsid, fusion, and hemagglutinin genes of SRMV and their comparison with vaccinal [...] Read more.
Background: Outbreaks of small ruminant morbillivirus (SRMV) are regularly occurring in Pakistan despite vaccine availability. This study was designed to identify substitutions within the immunogenic structural and functional regions of the nucleocapsid, fusion, and hemagglutinin genes of SRMV and their comparison with vaccinal strains of Nigerian and Indian origin. Methods: Swabs and tissue samples were collected from diseased animals. RT-PCR was used to characterize selected genes encoded by viral RNA. The study’s N, F, and H protein sequences and vaccinal strains were analyzed for B and T cell epitope prediction using ABCpred, Bipred, and IEDB, respectively. Results: Significant substitutions were found on the C terminus of the nucleocapsid, within the fusion motif region of the fusion gene and in the immunoreactive region of the hemagglutinin gene. Conclusion: Our results emphasize the need for the development of effective vaccines that match the existing variants of SRMV strains circulating in Pakistan. Full article
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