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Vaccines
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Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer: Openings for Vaccines and Cure
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Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer: Openings for Vaccines and Cure

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 6633

Editors

Dr. Maria G. Isaguliants

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
Interests: chronic viral infections and associated cancer; human immunodeficiency virus type 1; human hepatitis C virus; oxidative stress; T cell response; B cell response; DNA vaccines
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Karl Ljungberg

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Guest Editor
International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Stockholm, Sweden
Interests: vaccines; virology; immunology; infectious diseases; viral vectors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Specific human virus infections are the primary cause of cancer. These viral infections are estimated to lead to about 10% of the global cancer burden. Key oncogenic viruses include Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Human papillomaviruses (HPV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), Human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1), Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), and Human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8). HPVs exist in hundreds of genotypes, of which at least 14 are of high oncogenic risk (HR) and cause cancer in men and women, including anal, cervical, penile, throat, vaginal, and vulvar cancer. HR HPV- and HBV-associated cancers are the only cancers which currently can be prevented by prophylactic vaccination. HCV is a significant cause of liver cancer, but lacks a vaccine, although it can be treated with antiviral drugs. EBV is linked to several lymphomas and stomach cancer, and there is currently no vaccine for it. HIV-1, while not a direct cause of cancer, weakens the immune system and facilitates the development of cancers, with no available vaccine.

Understanding these oncogenic viruses has paved the way for interventions such as vaccines, screening for persistent infections, and antiviral therapies. Identifying additional oncogenic viruses and uncovering their mechanisms will further enhance preventive and therapeutic strategies against viral infections and related cancers.

This Special Issue welcomes submissions of experimental papers, short communications, reviews, and activity reports focusing on the above issues. Cordial invitation to submit is addressed to the speakers of the international online conference “Chronic viral infections and cancer, openings for vaccines and cure” VIRCAN2024 held at Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia, November 21–22, 2024 (https://www.rsu.lv/en/vircan2024-conference) and VIRCAN2026 planned at Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia, in November 2026.

Dr. Maria G. Isaguliants
Dr. Karl Ljungberg
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-anonymized 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

  • chronic viral infection
  • oncogenic viruses
  • hepatitis B virus
  • high risk human papillomaviruses
  • hepatitis C virus
  • epstein–barr virus
  • human immunodeficiency virus type I
  • cancer associated with viral infection
  • immunotherapy
  • prophylactic viral vaccines
  • therapeutic viral vaccines

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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32 pages, 1896 KB  
Article
Complete Genomes of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Viruses Isolated from Cases of Cervical Neoplasia and Squamous Cell Carcinomas Followed in Latvia in 2012–2024
by Juris Jansons, Nikita Zrelovs, Arta Spridzane, Marija Nazarenko, Liba Sokolovska, Karina Biserova, Daira Krisane, Austra Breiksa-Vaivode, Daria Avdoshina, Beatrise Orlova, Marta Petrovska, Serhii Kalman, Stefan Petkov, Valery Ilinsky, Anna Ilinskaya, Jurijs Nazarovs, Androniks Mitildzans and Maria Isaguliants
Vaccines 2026, 14(6), 517; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14060517 - 9 Jun 2026
Viewed by 250
Abstract
Background: Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection causes over 99% of cervical precancers and cancers worldwide, with HPV genotype 16 (HPV16) responsible for 50% of the cases. Latvia ranks among the top EU countries for cervical cancer incidence and mortality. In the general [...] Read more.
Background: Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection causes over 99% of cervical precancers and cancers worldwide, with HPV genotype 16 (HPV16) responsible for 50% of the cases. Latvia ranks among the top EU countries for cervical cancer incidence and mortality. In the general Latvian population, 4.2% of women are hrHPV-infected, mostly with HPV16. However, information on the circulating HPV16 isolates is missing. Objectives: To study the genomic variability of the Latvian HPV16 isolates, compare them with HPV16 in Europe and across the globe, reveal features associated with the severity of cervical disease and uncover eventual sequence changes due to the national HPV vaccination. Methods: DNA was extracted from the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cervical tissues of women diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) stages I-III and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) grades 1–3, collected between 2012 and 2024. Samples positive for HPV16 were subjected to whole genome sequencing (WGS) on the Illumina platform (n = 16) or Sanger sequencing of the E6/E7 coding region (n = 31). A consensus HPV16 sequence was generated, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and eventual amino acid substitutions (AAS) were analysed. Results: Complete genomes of 16 HPV16 variants were reconstructed, with 13 related to the European sublineage A1 and 3 to the sublineage A2 references. Sequences showed high conservation; still 93 non-redundant variants were identified. The highest variability was observed for the capsid protein L2, and the lowest, for oncoprotein E7. The prevalence of SNPs and AAS in the Latvian HPV16 variants, specifically in capsid protein L1, did not increase with time, showing no effect of HPV vaccination. Associations between HPV16 sequence features and severity of cervical disease were limited to AAS E6:L90V, which was significantly more common in SCC grade 2/3 than in CINII/III cases (p = 0.015). Conclusions: Highly conserved HPV16 genomes circulating in Latvia harbour a series of unique as well as common nonsynonymous SNPs with respective AAS, with one, AAS E6:L90V, associating with disease severity. No HPV vaccine escape variants were detected. Deciphering complete genomes of HPV16 from CIN and SCC cases in Latvia informs public authorities performing HPV vaccination and is useful for the management of HPV-associated cervical diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer: Openings for Vaccines and Cure)
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Review

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17 pages, 1038 KB  
Review
SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Vaccination, Immune Dysregulation, and Cancer
by Dace Pjanova and Aysha Rafeeque
Vaccines 2026, 14(3), 255; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14030255 - 11 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection induces heterogeneous immune responses that influence both acute disease severity and long-term immune remodeling. A key question in the context of infection and vaccination is whether SARS-CoV-2 exerts direct oncogenic effects or instead acts as [...] Read more.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection induces heterogeneous immune responses that influence both acute disease severity and long-term immune remodeling. A key question in the context of infection and vaccination is whether SARS-CoV-2 exerts direct oncogenic effects or instead acts as a transient immunological stressor capable of reinforcing tumor-permissive pathways. Current evidence does not support classical viral oncogenesis. Rather, severe infection is characterized by early interferon (IFN) imbalance followed by NF-κB-dominant inflammatory amplification, promoting sustained IL-6/JAK–STAT3 and MAPK signaling, chronic cytokine production, metabolic reprogramming, and impaired antitumor immune surveillance. At the molecular level, viral structural proteins modulate host signaling networks. The spike (S1) protein engages TLR2/TLR4–MyD88 pathways, activating NF-κB and MAPK cascades, while the membrane (M) protein reinforces NF-κB–STAT3 circuits linked to epithelial–mesenchymal transition and inflammatory gene expression. These mechanisms intensify pre-existing oncogenic signaling without initiating malignant transformation. Tissue-specific responses are further shaped by IFN competence, renin–angiotensin system balance, and metabolic context. In parallel, immune evasion programs shared by chronic viral infection and cancer, including checkpoint upregulation, impaired antigen presentation, and suppressive myeloid expansion, may be transiently reinforced following severe infection. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination induces spatially restricted, self-limited innate activation without sustained inflammatory signaling or persistent antigen exposure. By preventing severe disease and chronic immune dysregulation, vaccination interrupts pathways hypothesized to intersect with cancer biology, with no evidence of increased cancer incidence. Ongoing longitudinal studies are required to clarify the long-term oncologic implications of post-infectious immune remodeling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer: Openings for Vaccines and Cure)
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16 pages, 802 KB  
Review
Towards HDV Elimination Through HBV Vaccination: Global Strategies, Challenges, and Policy Gaps
by Enkhtuul Batbold, Naranjargal Dashdorj, Fabien Zoulim and Birke Bartosch
Vaccines 2026, 14(2), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14020179 - 14 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1316
Abstract
Persistent infection with hepatitis D virus (HDV), also known as hepatitis delta, is considered the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis. HDV is a defective RNA virus that depends on hepatitis B virus (HBV) for propagation. Despite its global distribution, HDV stays [...] Read more.
Persistent infection with hepatitis D virus (HDV), also known as hepatitis delta, is considered the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis. HDV is a defective RNA virus that depends on hepatitis B virus (HBV) for propagation. Despite its global distribution, HDV stays a neglected part of the viral hepatitis agenda, often overlooked in surveillance systems and public health policy. This oversight is particularly concerning given HDV’s aggressive clinical course, characterized by more rapid progression to cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared to HBV mono-infection. Mongolia has the highest incidence and mortality rates of HCC worldwide, with approximately 47% of cases estimated to be attributable to chronic HDV infection. Globally, an estimated 12–25 million people are co-infected with HBV and HDV, although the true prevalence is higher due to insufficient screening and incomplete data collection. Because HDV infection is entirely dependent on HBV, prevention of HBV infection through effective vaccination stands for an indirect yet highly effective strategy to curb HDV transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO), together with the global health community, has established ambitious targets to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. However, achieving HDV elimination remains particularly challenging due to limited diagnostic capacity, low awareness, and minimal inclusion of HDV in national hepatitis programs. This review explores the intersection of HDV and HBV, focusing on how expanded and optimized HBV vaccination coverage can serve as a cornerstone of global HDV prevention efforts. We examine epidemiological evidence, scientific rationale, policy developments, and key implementation challenges, with particular attention to high-burden settings such as Mongolia. Finally, we propose strategic recommendations to bridge policy and practice gaps in HDV elimination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer: Openings for Vaccines and Cure)
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Other

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24 pages, 347 KB  
Conference Report
Online Conference “Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer, Openings for Vaccines and Cure” VIRCAN2024, Monitoring the Progress
by Liba Sokolovska, Juris Jansons, Franco M. Buonaguro and Maria Isaguliants
Vaccines 2025, 13(9), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13090940 - 2 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1347
Abstract
Chronic viral infections and virus-induced cancers have been actively studied for decades, with many significant advancements in basic science, disease cure, treatment, and prevention. Yet, today, these infections and pathologies remain major contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide. The international online conference “VIRCAN2024: [...] Read more.
Chronic viral infections and virus-induced cancers have been actively studied for decades, with many significant advancements in basic science, disease cure, treatment, and prevention. Yet, today, these infections and pathologies remain major contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide. The international online conference “VIRCAN2024: Chronic viral infections and cancer, openings for Vaccines and Cure” aimed to address the remaining issues, present the research carried out in this broad field, and prognose directions for its development. The conference covered oncogenicity mechanisms and new approaches in the development of treatments and vaccines. VIRCAN2024 was held on the platform of Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia. The conference was supported by the Latvian Science Council grant “Human papillomavirus genome associated correlates of disease progression and treatment response for cervical neoplasms and cancer”, and the scientific journal Vaccines (MDPI). This report summarizes the lectures and presentations given at the conference. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer: Openings for Vaccines and Cure)
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