Immune Responses in Respiratory Infections

Dear Colleagues,

Respiratory infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in tropical and low-resource regions, which bear a disproportionate burden of these diseases. The outcome of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, influenza, and tuberculosis is often determined by the host’s immune responses. Effective immunity can clear pathogens and protect the host, whereas dysregulated or insufficient responses may lead to severe illness or chronic infection. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical importance of understanding immune mechanisms in respiratory infections, revealing both the power of the immune system and the consequences of immune evasion and overactivation (e.g., cytokine storms).

This Special Issue aims to advance our understanding of how the immune system responds to respiratory pathogens, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by tropical and low-resource regions. We invite original research articles and comprehensive reviews that explore immune responses in these settings, considering both the unique challenges and the opportunities to develop tailored interventions for tropical populations. Topics of interest include the following: innate immune defenses and inflammatory responses in the airways; adaptive immunity (T-cell, B-cell, and antibody responses) and immune memory against respiratory pathogens; mucosal immunity in the respiratory tract as the first line of defense; and the strategies employed by viruses, bacteria (e.g., Mycobacterium tuberculosis), or other pathogens in order to evade or subvert host immunity. Studies focusing on immune responses to specific respiratory pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), influenza viruses, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), are particularly encouraged, as well as investigations into immunopathology (how immune responses contribute to lung tissue damage or disease severity).

We also strongly encourage submissions addressing translational and clinical aspects, including research on vaccines and immunotherapies (e.g., monoclonal antibodies, immune modulators, or other novel treatments) that leverage our understanding of the immune system in order to prevent or treat respiratory infections, particularly in tropical settings. By bringing together these diverse themes, this Special Issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease will provide a platform for cutting-edge findings that bridge immunology and clinical practice. Ultimately, our goal is to foster a deeper understanding of immune responses in respiratory infections and guide the development of new strategies—ranging from enhanced vaccines to targeted immunotherapies—that can improve patient outcomes in both global and tropical health contexts.

We invite researchers and clinicians from around the world, especially those in tropical regions, to contribute to this Special Issue. Submissions of original research, review articles, and short communications are all welcome. Through this Special Issue, we hope to build an interdisciplinary dialogue on respiratory infection immunity and inspire innovative approaches for combating these infections.

We look forward to your valuable contributions.

Dr. José J. Leija-Martínez
Dr. Adriana Elizabeth Monsiváis-Urenda
Dr. Fausto Sánchez-Muñoz
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. 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.

• immune response
• respiratory infections
• innate immunity
• adaptive immunity
• mucosal immunity
• immune evasion
• COVID-19
• influenza
• tuberculosis
• immunotherapy
• vaccines