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Arboviral Infections (Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases): Immune...
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Arboviral Infections (Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases): Immune Response and Vaccine Development

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Vaccines Against Tropical and Other Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2027 | Viewed by 5096

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Bo Peng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Shenzhen Guangming District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518107, China
Interests: dengue virus; SARS-CoV-2; infectious diseases; immune; neutralizing antibody
Dr. Xiaolu Shi

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Microbiology Laboratory, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
Interests: microbiology; molecular epidemiology; antimicrobial resistance; public health emergency response

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Arboviral infections—including dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and other mosquito-borne diseases—continue to pose major global public health challenges, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Some of these viruses share common immunopathogenic mechanisms, including cross-reactive immune responses, antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), and host genetic factors influencing disease severity. Understanding these immune mechanisms is crucial for developing effective vaccines and therapeutics.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the immune response to arboviral infections and the development of safe and effective vaccines. We invite submissions that explore molecular, cellular, and immunological aspects of infection and immunity, as well as translational studies linking laboratory findings with clinical and epidemiological data.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Immune responses and immunopathogenesis of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus infections;
  • Cross-reactive immunity among arboviruses and its implications for disease severity and vaccine design;
  • Antibody-dependent enhancement and mechanisms of immune-mediated pathology;
  • Development of vaccines and immune correlates of protection for arboviral diseases;
  • Cytokine responses, T-cell dynamics, and innate immunity in arboviral infections;
  • Molecular epidemiology and immune surveillance of arboviral outbreaks;
  • Identification of immunological biomarkers for disease progression and protection;
  • Application of novel vaccine platforms (mRNA, subunit, viral vector) against arboviruses.

Prof. Bo Peng
Dr. Xiaolu Shi
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 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. 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

  • arbovirus
  • dengue virus
  • chikungunya virus
  • Zika virus
  • mosquito-borne disease
  • immune response
  • cross-immunity
  • antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE)
  • vaccine development
  • immunopathology

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1274 KB  
Article
The Yellow Fever Virus Type-Specific Epitope Recognized by Monoclonal Antibody 2D12 Neutralizes Wild Type, but Not Live Attenuated 17D or French Neurotropic Vaccine Strains
by Clairissa A. Hansen, Shawn Rast, Jill K. Thompson, Haiping Hao, Daniel Jupiter, Stephen Higgs, Nigel Bourne and Alan D. T. Barrett
Vaccines 2026, 14(5), 430; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14050430 - 12 May 2026
Viewed by 229
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The envelope (E) protein of orthoflaviviruses contains antigenic sites that are composed of one or more epitopes, which can vary in antigenic specificity, including between viral species, strains, and even substrains. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind these epitopes vary in functionality [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The envelope (E) protein of orthoflaviviruses contains antigenic sites that are composed of one or more epitopes, which can vary in antigenic specificity, including between viral species, strains, and even substrains. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind these epitopes vary in functionality based on their specificity. This makes mAbs useful to study the differences in phenotypes between strains of viruses, such as the wild type (WT) and live attenuated vaccine strains of yellow fever virus (YFV). mAb 2D12 was raised against the 17D-204 YFV vaccine substrain virus (YF VAX®) by Schlesinger et al. in 1983. However, it only neutralizes Asibi WT virus, not the 17D-204 vaccine substrain virus. Results: We confirmed these results and demonstrated that mAb 2D12 fails to neutralize all 17D vaccine substrains (17D-204, 17DD, and 17D-213), indicating that the minor differences between these virus substrains do not affect the epitope or functionality of mAb 2D12. In addition, mAb 2D12 was found to neutralize WT strain of French viscerotropic virus (FVV), with statistically indistinguishable neutralization from the WT strain Asibi. All but one of the live attenuated French neurotropic vaccine (FNV) derivative viruses had significantly lower neutralization than WT strains Asibi and FVV. FVV, Asibi, 17D, and FNV have many amino acid differences in the membrane (M) and E proteins. It is unclear which of them contributes to this differential neutralization. However, FNV and 17D have common amino acid substitutions from WT FVV and Asibi at positions M-36 and E-331, suggesting that one or both of these residues may contribute to the 2D12 epitope. Conclusions: Overall, mAb 2D12 is a valuable tool to distinguish WT virulent strains of YFV from live attenuated vaccine strains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviral Infections (Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases): Immune Response and Vaccine Development)
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19 pages, 1560 KB  
Article
Protective Efficacy of a Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Based Vaccine Against Zika
by Leidi Carvajal Aristizabal, Ivanna Hoyos Ramírez, Erwin Camacho, Daniel Maldonado, Esteban Marín, Juan Pablo Hernández-Ortiz and Jorge E. Osorio
Vaccines 2026, 14(3), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14030252 - 10 Mar 2026
Viewed by 906
Abstract
Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus associated with severe neurological disease, including congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) following utero infection and Guillain–Barré syndrome in adults. The 2015–2016 epidemic in the Americas highlighted the profound maternal and neonatal consequences of ZIKV infection. Although [...] Read more.
Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus associated with severe neurological disease, including congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) following utero infection and Guillain–Barré syndrome in adults. The 2015–2016 epidemic in the Americas highlighted the profound maternal and neonatal consequences of ZIKV infection. Although reported transmission has declined, ongoing circulation of competent vectors and population susceptibility sustain a substantial risk of future outbreaks, underscoring the need for effective vaccines. Methods: We developed a recombinant Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-based vaccine candidate expressing the ZIKV pre-membrane (prM) and envelope (E) proteins and evaluated its immunogenicity and protective efficacy in interferon receptor-deficient AG129 mice. Results: Vaccination induced strong humoral and cellular immune responses and conferred significant protection against viral replication in key target organs, including the brain and testes, following ZIKV challenge. Conclusions: These preclinical findings support further development of this MVA-based ZIKV vaccine as a promising strategy to prevent ZIKV infection and its associated neurological complications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviral Infections (Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases): Immune Response and Vaccine Development)
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15 pages, 772 KB  
Article
A Prospective Cohort Study of Primary Dengue Virus Infection in Medellín, Colombia
by Andrea Trujillo, Liesbeth Van Wesenbeeck, Lina Salazar, Liliana López, Lotke Tambuyzer, Annemie Buelens, Kim De Clerck, Oliver Lenz, Leen Vijgen, Marnix Van Loock, Guillermo Herrera-Taracena, Iván Darío Vélez and Freya Rasschaert
Vaccines 2025, 13(7), 748; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13070748 - 12 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1970
Abstract
Background: The evaluation of antiviral or vaccination strategies for the prevention of dengue infections in a traveler population would require extensive and complex studies. This prospective study aimed to identify a cohort of dengue naïve participants living in Medellín, a dengue endemic area, [...] Read more.
Background: The evaluation of antiviral or vaccination strategies for the prevention of dengue infections in a traveler population would require extensive and complex studies. This prospective study aimed to identify a cohort of dengue naïve participants living in Medellín, a dengue endemic area, as a proxy for travelers and to determine the incidence of primary dengue virus (DENV) infection (symptomatic and asymptomatic) in this cohort. In Colombia, epidemic dengue waves occur every 3–4 years, with infected Aedes mosquitoes present in ~80% of the territory, including Medellín. Methods: Participants > 16 years of age, living in Medellín, were screened for anti-DENV immunoglobulin G (IgG). DENV seronegative participants were enrolled in this study. A serological anti-DENV survey was performed, with semiannual sample collections for up to 2 years. Acute DENV infections were evaluated by monitoring fever and testing for DENV nonstructural protein 1 and/or RNA. Results: Of the 4885 screened participants, 3008 participants (62%) were DENV seronegative and enrolled. Among them, 2263 (75%) completed this study, and 2644 (88%) had at least one serosurvey visit after baseline. Of those, 52 (2%) had laboratory-confirmed DENV seroconversion, and 19 (<1%) had febrile illness, but none had laboratory-confirmed DENV infection. Conclusions: This study identified a cohort of predominantly students, seronegative at study start, living in Medellín and serving as a proxy for a prospective DENV infection traveler population. Laboratory-confirmed primary DENV infection was found in 2% of participants, with <1% reporting febrile illnesses, meeting the WHO criteria for probable clinical dengue cases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviral Infections (Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases): Immune Response and Vaccine Development)
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Review

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27 pages, 912 KB  
Review
Dengue Virus-Susceptible Animal Models: Research Progress, Core Bottlenecks, and Future Perspectives
by Wensheng Zhang, Yue Zhao, Teng Meng, Yuling Tang, Yifei Zhang, Lu Zhang, Shoulong Deng, Yan Li, Yiming Yuan and Yefeng Qiu
Vaccines 2026, 14(4), 319; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14040319 - 3 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1024
Abstract
Dengue fever (DF) is an acute mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by dengue virus (DENV), primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Nearly 4 billion people worldwide are at risk of infection, and the 2024 epidemic reached an unprecedented scale. Severe cases can [...] Read more.
Dengue fever (DF) is an acute mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by dengue virus (DENV), primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Nearly 4 billion people worldwide are at risk of infection, and the 2024 epidemic reached an unprecedented scale. Severe cases can lead to hemorrhage, shock, and even death, prompting the WHO to classify it as a potential pandemic pathogen. Current prevention and control measures face prominent bottlenecks, including limited applicable populations for vaccines, lack of specific antiviral drugs, and increasing insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors. Notably, susceptible animal models serve as core tools for elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of dengue virus, screening antiviral drugs, and evaluating vaccine protective efficacy, holding irreplaceable significance. This review systematically summarizes the characteristics, application scenarios, and research progress of mainstream and potential susceptible animal models, including non-human primates, mice, pigs, tree shrews, and bats. It covers model systems with different immune statuses, genetically modified types, and species-specific traits. Among these, mouse models are the most widely used due to their high flexibility and controllable cost, while non-human primate models have become key carriers for preclinical vaccine evaluation by virtue of their high homology with human immune responses. However, current models generally suffer from core bottlenecks, such as incomplete simulation of core severe phenotypes, insufficient restoration of immune mechanisms, unclear viral receptor mechanisms, and lack of unified standards for inoculation doses and evaluation indicators. These limitations make it difficult to accurately replicate key severe disease mechanisms, including antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and cytokine storms. Future model development should focus on core requirements—including intact immunity, broad-spectrum susceptibility, and accurate simulation of clinical pathological features—prioritize solving the simulation challenges of ADE and cytokine storms, and establish standardized experimental systems and evaluation criteria. By comprehensively summarizing the advantages and limitations of the existing models, this review provides a systematic reference for the optimization and upgrading of dengue virus-susceptible animal models. It also holds important guiding significance for promoting the in-depth development of basic dengue research, innovation in prevention and control technologies, and clinical transformation and application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviral Infections (Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases): Immune Response and Vaccine Development)
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