Vaccines against Arthropods and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens

Dear Colleagues,

Arthropods and arthropod-borne pathogens constantly threaten the health of humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. A geographical expansion of arthropods is occurring due to global warming, deforestation, and increase in reservoir population, animal hosts, and human outdoor activities. It is expected that this expansion will continue increasing, bringing with it an increase in the emergence and prevalence of arthropod-borne diseases. A One Health approach including arthropod correct management and control is urgently needed to prevent future outbreaks. Prevention of arthropods and arthropod-borne diseases through novel vaccination strategies and methods is perhaps the most suitable choice in the post COVID-19 vaccinomics era. 

The aim of this Special Issue is to compile relevant original scientific papers, opinion letters, and reviews on the most recent advances in developing vaccines against arthropods and arthropod-borne pathogen vaccines. Submitted papers may include discovery research, proof of concept, and vaccination trials in controlled and natural conditions. This information will reinforce the potential of immunization as a mean. Furthermore, the published advances would be included as part of One Health intervention approach to manage potential public and animal health threats coming from several unexpected areas.

Dr. Raúl Manzano-Román
Dr. Consuelo Almazán
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. 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.

• novel vaccine candidates
• nanovaccines
• transmission-blocking vaccines
• anti-microbiota vaccines
• arthropod–host–pathogen interactions
• host and vector immunity
• pathogen-derived antigens
• vaccination trials
• arthropod vectors

Title: Current status of vaccination against Rhipicephalus microplus in Mexico: A public Policy Challenge
Authors: Rodrigo Rosario-Cruz; Consuelo Almazán García; Delia Inés Domínguez-García
Affiliation: 1Natural Sciences College, Biotechnology in Health and Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory, Autónomous Guerrero State University, Chilpancingo, Guerrero C.P. 39070. México. 2Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro. Queretaro, Mexico.
Abstract: Arthropods occupy 80% of the known species in the animal kingdom and are evolutionary successful organisms. Some of these species of arthropods compete for human food sources, as parasites, and are vectors of parasites, bacterial, and viral pathogens. Ticks are a major concern to human health and livestock worldwide, being responsible for economic losses that go beyond billions of US dollars per year. The most used method for tick control relies on the use of acaricides, which increases production costs, contaminate food and environment, and directly affects animal and human health. In addition, ticks have developed a broad resistance to acaricides and chemical contamination of meat, milk, and other animal sub-products is no longer tolerated by consumers. There is abundant evidence that vaccination with identified protein antigens induces immunity to protect against tick infestations. This scenario has stimulated the interest of different groups of scientists around the world, who have moved on to the field of anti-tick vaccine research. So far, more than 20 antigens have already been tested in vaccination trials against the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus, with significant results on tick reduction. However, in spite of the need of an anti-tick vaccine, the Mexican market has been restricted to the Bm86-based vaccine, and only to certain geographical regions. Considering the amount of identified and tested antigens, tick vaccines are under utilized as a tick control method. The aim of this review is to explore the current status of the cattle-tick integrated management, research actions, the availability of anti-tick vaccines to cattle producers, and the concerted participation of livestock associations, research institutions, private industry and animal health authorities.

Title: Tick Vaccines: new targets and future directions
Authors: Juan Mosqueda*, Martina Perez-Soria, Ilwicatzin Guerrero-Solorio, Aldo Josue Pavón-Rocha, Rodrigo Morales-García, Ivan Corona-Guerrero, Diego Josimar Hernández-Silva and Consuelo Almazán
Affiliation: Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro. Queretaro, Mexico.
Abstract: Ticks are the ectoparasites that cause the most damage to the veterinary industry. Because of their hematophagous habits, ticks consume significant amounts of blood, causing debilitating and immunosuppressive effects. In addition, ticks are the major transmitters of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. Tick infestations are controlled with acaricides; however, disadvantages of their use including the growing resistance of ticks to ixodicides, the negative impact on human and animal health, and the ecological damage on the environment, force the use of new sustainable alternatives such as immune control through vaccination. Although commercial vaccines against the most important cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus have been developed, vaccines against other tick species do not exist. In addition, vaccines based on other antigens besides Bm86, an antigen from the surface of tick midgut, have not been developed. This review will describe the key aspects of the immune response required for tick vaccine antigens and the reported findings for new tick vaccine antigens. The importance of using methodologies like reverse vaccinology and immunobioinformatics to identify and evaluate new tick antigens isolated from intestine, salivary gland, and ovary; as well as antigens involved in the suppression of the immune response such as antimicrobial peptides (hemocidins, microplusins and defensins), pattern recognition receptors, redox metabolism, complement-like proteins, antiviral RNAi responses and regulated cell-death will be reviewed. We will explore new approaches to vaccine development like the so-called “multi-epitopic” vaccine and vaccines based on tick microbiota. Finally, new strategies to develop effective vaccines against different tick species such as R. microplus, R. annulatus, R. linae, Amblyomma spp. and Ixodes spp. will be addressed.

Title: A perspective on the use of plant-made vaccines to combat ticks of veterinary importance
Authors: Carlos Angulo; Consuelo Almazan; Elizabeth Monreal-Escalante; Abel Ramos-Vega
Affiliation: Immunology & Vaccinology Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz 23096, Mexico
Abstract: Ticks are arthropods causing parasitosis in animals and some of them transmit microbial pathogens to animals and humans. Several vaccines have shown immunogenicity and protective efficacy against ticks in animal models and definitive hosts. However, only a commercial vaccine is available, which is based on a recombinant antigen. In this arena, plants offer three decades of research & development as a recombinant vaccine production host and delivery vehicle platform. Despite the experimental advances in plant-made vaccines to combat several parasitosis and infectious diseases, no vaccine prototype has been developed against ticks. This review brings a panorama of ticks of veterinary importance, recombinant vaccine experimental developments, plant-made vaccine platform, and perspectives on using this technology considering opportunities and limitations in the field.