Filarial Infections in Humans: Advances in Epidemiology and Immunological Insights
A special issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease (ISSN 2414-6366). This special issue belongs to the section "Vector-Borne Diseases".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 19 December 2025 | Viewed by 57
Special Issue Editor
Interests: human helminth infections; neglected tropical diseases; host-parasite interaction; murine filarial model
Special Issue Information
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 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. 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.
Keywords
- filarial infections
- epidemiology
- immunology
- host–parasite interactions
- pathogenesis
- murine filarial models
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
