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Vaccines
Special Issues
Influenza Surveillance, Vaccines and Vaccination Strategies
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Influenza Surveillance, Vaccines and Vaccination Strategies

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 18003

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Laura Pellegrinelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical of Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
Interests: public health and epidemiology; infectious disease; surveillance and prepardness; vaccine and vaccination
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

seasonal influenza remains a potentially serious disease causing a considerable public health burden considering the yearly, 5-15% of the population gets influenza infection that is responsible for 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness and up to 650,000 deaths.

Influenza surveillance is focused on virological monitoring and collection of specimens from influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases to provide timely and high-quality epidemiological data and to describe the antigenic character and genetic features of circulating influenza viruses including the detection

of new viral variants. Combining epidemiological with virological data, influenza surveillance assists in developing awareness of the relationship of viruses strains and disease severity and excess mortality, and it is able to identify outbreaks of influenza outside the usual season as well as pandemic events. Moreover, existing surveillance infrastructures provides the platform needed to recognize of emerging pathogens other than influenza, including SARS-CoV-2.

Laboratory investigations of influenza viruses provide evidences about clusters of vaccine failures and drive the production of seasonal vaccine formulations. Even if seasonal influenza vaccination is the most cost-effective measure to prevent influenza illness and its severe complications, yearly vaccination uptake need to be increased. Low uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination reduces the number of vulnerable people protected during annual epidemics and negatively impact the capacity to produce vaccines in the event of a pandemic.

Never like before and also for facing COVID-19, we need to strengthen the activities in the framework of influenza surveillance and to endorse the prevention of seasonal influenza, finding new vaccination strategies for improving vaccination uptake and evaluating vaccines effectiveness.

This Special Issue will focus on results and evidences from influenza surveillance and on the state-of-art and the cutting-edge researches about seasonal influenza vaccines and vaccination strategies.

Dr. Laura Pellegrinelli
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. 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

  • Influenza virus
  • Influenza-Like Illness
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Infection
  • Epidemiology
  • Surveillance
  • Diagnostics
  • Vaccine
  • Vaccination
  • Control.

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 473 KiB  
Article
Media Exposure and Media Credibility Influencing Public Intentions for Influenza Vaccination
by Chuanlin Ning, Difan Guo, Jing Wu and Hao Gao
Vaccines 2022, 10(4), 526; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10040526 - 29 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2893
Abstract
Due to the low rate of influenza vaccination in China, this study explores the factors influencing the Chinese public’s influenza vaccination intentions. Based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study builds a theoretical model to examine the factors influencing Chinese public intentions [...] Read more.
Due to the low rate of influenza vaccination in China, this study explores the factors influencing the Chinese public’s influenza vaccination intentions. Based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study builds a theoretical model to examine the factors influencing Chinese public intentions toward influenza vaccination. We define media exposure and media credibility as external variables and the perceived characteristics of influenza vaccines as intermediate variables in the proposed model. A total of 597 valid questionnaires were collected online in this study. Combined with structural equation modeling (SEM), SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 17.0 were used to conduct empirical research, supporting the proposed research hypotheses. The results show that media exposure and media credibility have no direct effects on the audience’s intention to take the influenza vaccine. However, media exposure positively influences media credibility, influencing vaccination intentions through perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU). Furthermore, PU and PEOU significantly positively influence behavioral intentions, and PEOU significantly affects PU. This paper has proven that media with better credibility gained more trust from the audience, indicating a new perspective for the promotion of influenza vaccination. This study suggests releasing influenza-related information via media with great credibility, further improving public acceptance of becoming vaccinated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influenza Surveillance, Vaccines and Vaccination Strategies)
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9 pages, 248 KiB  
Article
Characteristics of Healthcare Workers Vaccinated against Influenza in the Era of COVID-19
by Giorgia Della Polla, Francesca Licata, Silvia Angelillo, Concetta Paola Pelullo, Aida Bianco and Italo Francesco Angelillo
Vaccines 2021, 9(7), 695; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9070695 - 24 Jun 2021
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4009
Abstract
Understanding the potential impact of COVID-19 on receiving influenza vaccination among healthcare workers (HCWs) is of utmost importance. The purposes of the present cross-sectional study were to describe the characteristics and to explore the predictors of receiving influenza vaccination among a large cohort [...] Read more.
Understanding the potential impact of COVID-19 on receiving influenza vaccination among healthcare workers (HCWs) is of utmost importance. The purposes of the present cross-sectional study were to describe the characteristics and to explore the predictors of receiving influenza vaccination among a large cohort of Italian HCWs in hospital settings. Information was collected through an anonymous questionnaire from December 2020 through January 2021. General and practice characteristics, perceived risk of seasonal influenza, attitudes towards efficacy and safety of influenza vaccination, and reasons behind the decision to be vaccinated against influenza were explored. Fewer than half (46.2%) of HCWs agreed that influenza is a serious illness and perceived the risk of getting infected with influenza, and concerns about the safety of the vaccination were significant positive predictors. Fewer than half of the respondents were not concerned at all about the efficacy (48.6%) and safety (49.8%) of influenza vaccination, and 51.9% reported that they have not received a seasonal influenza vaccine during the previous season. The most mentioned reason for receiving the influenza vaccine in the current season was that influenza and COVID-19 share some similar symptoms. Study results will aid policymakers in developing vaccination education programs, promotion of trust to address negative misconceptions, and to achieve future high coverage among this high-risk group. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influenza Surveillance, Vaccines and Vaccination Strategies)

Review

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16 pages, 2984 KiB  
Review
Universal Flu mRNA Vaccine: Promises, Prospects, and Problems
by Andrei A. Deviatkin, Ruslan A. Simonov, Kseniya A. Trutneva, Anna A. Maznina, Elena M. Khavina and Pavel Y. Volchkov
Vaccines 2022, 10(5), 709; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10050709 - 30 Apr 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 7742
Abstract
The seasonal flu vaccine is, essentially, the only known way to prevent influenza epidemics. However, this approach has limited efficacy due to the high diversity of influenza viruses. Several techniques could potentially overcome this obstacle. A recent first-in-human study of a chimeric hemagglutinin-based [...] Read more.
The seasonal flu vaccine is, essentially, the only known way to prevent influenza epidemics. However, this approach has limited efficacy due to the high diversity of influenza viruses. Several techniques could potentially overcome this obstacle. A recent first-in-human study of a chimeric hemagglutinin-based universal influenza virus vaccine demonstrated promising results. The coronavirus pandemic triggered the development of fundamentally new vaccine platforms that have demonstrated their effectiveness in humans. Currently, there are around a dozen messenger RNA and self-amplifying RNA flu vaccines in clinical or preclinical trials. However, the applicability of novel approaches for a universal influenza vaccine creation remains unclear. The current review aims to cover the current state of this problem and to suggest future directions for RNA-based flu vaccine development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influenza Surveillance, Vaccines and Vaccination Strategies)
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Other

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13 pages, 501 KiB  
Protocol
From Clinical Specimen to Whole Genome Sequencing of A(H3N2) Influenza Viruses: A Fast and Reliable High-Throughput Protocol
by Cristina Galli, Erika Ebranati, Laura Pellegrinelli, Martina Airoldi, Carla Veo, Carla Della Ventura, Arlinda Seiti, Sandro Binda, Massimo Galli, Gianguglielmo Zehender and Elena Pariani
Vaccines 2022, 10(8), 1359; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081359 - 19 Aug 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2499
Abstract
(1) Background: Over the last few years, there has been growing interest in the whole genome sequencing (WGS) of rapidly mutating pathogens, such as influenza viruses (IVs), which has led us to carry out in-depth studies on viral evolution in both research and [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Over the last few years, there has been growing interest in the whole genome sequencing (WGS) of rapidly mutating pathogens, such as influenza viruses (IVs), which has led us to carry out in-depth studies on viral evolution in both research and diagnostic settings. We aimed at describing and determining the validity of a WGS protocol that can obtain the complete genome sequence of A(H3N2) IVs directly from clinical specimens. (2) Methods: RNA was extracted from 80 A(H3N2)-positive respiratory specimens. A one-step RT-PCR assay, based on the use of a single set of specific primers, was used to retro-transcribe and amplify the entire IV type A genome in a single reaction, thus avoiding additional enrichment approaches and host genome removal treatments. Purified DNA was quantified; genomic libraries were prepared and sequenced by using Illumina MiSeq platform. The obtained reads were evaluated for sequence quality and read-pair length. (3) Results: All of the study specimens were successfully amplified, and the purified DNA concentration proved to be suitable for NGS (at least 0.2 ng/µL). An acceptable coverage depth for all eight genes of influenza A(H3N2) virus was obtained for 90% (72/80) of the clinical samples with viral loads >105 genome copies/mL. The mean depth of sequencing ranged from 105 to 200 reads per position, with the majority of the mean depth values being above 103 reads per position. The total turnaround time per set of 20 samples was four working days, including sequence analysis. (4) Conclusions: This fast and reliable high-throughput sequencing protocol should be used for influenza surveillance and outbreak investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influenza Surveillance, Vaccines and Vaccination Strategies)
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