Filarial Infections in Humans: Advances in Epidemiology and Immunological Insights

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a forthcoming Special Issue dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of filarial infections in humans, with a particular focus on cutting-edge research in epidemiology, immunology, and translational science.

Filarial diseases continue to pose a significant global health burden, particularly in endemic regions of the tropics and subtropics. This Special Issue will showcase recent progress in understanding the epidemiological landscape of these infections, including trends in geographical distribution, transmission dynamics, and disease control strategies. We invite contributions that explore the impacts of climate change, urbanisation, and public health interventions on the epidemiology and spread of filarial diseases.

A central theme of this Special Issue will be the investigation of host–parasite interactions and the immunological mechanisms that underpin filarial infection, persistence, and pathogenesis. We encourage submissions that elucidate how filarial parasites evade or manipulate host immune responses, as well as studies that identify biomarkers of infection, immune correlates of protection, or immunopathological outcomes associated with chronic disease.

This Special Issue will also highlight the critical role of murine filarial models in advancing our understanding of filarial biology and host immunity. These experimental systems continue to provide valuable insights into the molecular and cellular basis of parasite survival, immune modulation, and disease progression and serve as essential platforms for the preclinical evaluation of novel vaccines and therapeutics. In addition, the emerging use of organoid models—three-dimensional, stem-cell-derived in vitro systems that mimic human tissue architecture—offers an exciting new avenue for studying filarial development, tissue tropism, and host–parasite interactions in a physiologically relevant context. We particularly welcome studies employing organoid technology to explore novel aspects of filarial biology or to complement in vivo approaches.

We invite original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and short communications from a wide range of disciplines—including parasitology, immunology, molecular biology, epidemiology, tropical medicine, and drug development—that contribute to a more comprehensive and integrated understanding of filarial infections. By synthesising findings from both human studies and experimental models, this Special Issue will support global efforts toward the control, elimination, and eventual eradication of filarial diseases.

Dr. Manuel Ritter
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease 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.