Current Research on Influenza Viruses: Evolution, Immunity, and Countermeasures

Dear Colleagues,

The influenza virus, which belongs to the family Orthomyxoviridae, is a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus that is widely spread among different species in nature. It has four species (A, B, C, and D) and, as one of the top ten threats named by the World Health Organization (WHO), the influenza virus continues to pose global pandemic and epidemic threats to humans. The influenza virus evolves rapidly, particularly two of its major surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). HA and NA are the influenza virus’s major surface antigens, which are continuously exposed to selection pressure from the host. Other essential viral proteins, such as PB2, PB1, PA, NP, M, and NS, also evolve as they play important roles during different aspects of the virus’s lifecycle—for example, viral replication, host adaptation, and immune escape. Therefore, expanding our understanding of how these viral proteins evolve individually or collectively, studying their interaction with host receptors and the immune system, and identifying potential druggable structural domains will provide us with useful insights from which we can create precise virus evolution models, develop next-generation broadly protective vaccines, and design anti-influenza therapies.

This Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, current research on the evolution of the influenza virus, innate and adaptive immunity, and therapeutic methods, as well as vaccine development strategies against the influenza virus. The submission of research articles, review articles, and short communications is welcome.

Dr. Ruipeng Lei
Dr. Yiquan Wang
Guest Editors

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