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Viruses
Special Issues
High Consequence Viral Transmission
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High Consequence Viral Transmission

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Virology and Viral Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 17 July 2026 | Viewed by 1305

Editor

Dr. Olivier Escaffre

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pathology and Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
Interests: Filoviridae; Paramyxoviridae; Arenaviridae; Bunyaviridae; Flaviviridae; Coronaviridae; natural reservoir; zoonosis; aerosol transmission; sexual transmission; antiviral drugs; biologics; vaccines

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As a Senior Scientist at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, I am honored to serve as Guest Editor for this Special Issue in Viruses, titled “High Consequence Viral Transmission”. Institutions with a strong foundation in infectious disease and high-containment laboratories have provided an exceptional platform to investigate highly pathogenic viruses in both in vitro and in vivo systems.

This Special Issue seeks to bring together cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that explore the factors driving the transmission of high-consequence viruses. From molecular mechanisms and host–pathogen interactions to ecological drivers and public health implications, we aim to showcase multidisciplinary perspectives that deepen our understanding of how these viruses spread and how we might better predict, prevent, and control future outbreaks.

I look forward to working with contributing authors and reviewers to highlight innovative science that reflects the urgency and importance of this global health topic.

Dr. Olivier Escaffre
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 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. Viruses 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 2600 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

  • high-consequence viruses
  • zoonotic viruses
  • spillover events
  • natural reservoirs
  • wildlife vectors
  • pandemic
  • outbreaks
  • airborne transmission
  • droplet transmission
  • sexual transmission
  • high fatality rates
  • Filoviridae
  • Orthoebolavirus
  • Orthomarbugvirus
  • Paramyxoviridae
  • Orthoparamyxovirinae
  • Arenaviridae
  • Mammarenavirus
  • Peribunyaviridae
  • Orthobunyavirus
  • Nairoviridae
  • Orthonairovirus
  • Hantaviridae
  • Orthohantavirus
  • Coronaviridae
  • Betacoronavirus

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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12 pages, 383 KB  
Article
Evaluation of Thermal Inactivation and Chemical Disinfection Efficacy Against Lassa Virus
by Mengli Yang, Zhidan Zhang, Cong Cai, Kaiyun Ding, Xueping Chen, Shanhe Wu, Xin Guo, Qiangming Sun and Yunchuan Wang
Viruses 2026, 18(4), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18040412 - 27 Mar 2026
Viewed by 902
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV), the causative agent of Lassa fever, must be handled under biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) conditions, requiring validated inactivation protocols to ensure laboratory and public safety. Although LASV is an enveloped virus theoretically susceptible to physical and chemical inactivation methods, quantitative [...] Read more.
Lassa virus (LASV), the causative agent of Lassa fever, must be handled under biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) conditions, requiring validated inactivation protocols to ensure laboratory and public safety. Although LASV is an enveloped virus theoretically susceptible to physical and chemical inactivation methods, quantitative data on its inactivation kinetics remain limited. This study systematically evaluated the efficacy of thermal treatment (56 °C, 70 °C, 95 °C), laboratory chemical inactivants (beta-propiolactone, formaldehyde, methanol, TRIzol), and five commercial disinfectants against infectious LASV. Viral infectivity was determined by titrating residual virus in Vero E6 cells, and complete inactivation was verified by three consecutive blind passages. Thermal inactivation was achieved at 56 °C for 40 min, 70 °C for 5 min, and 95 °C for 2 min. Both 0.1% and 0.05% beta-propiolactone completely inactivated LASV after 24 h at 4 °C, while 4% formaldehyde, 50% methanol, and 25% TRIzol achieved complete inactivation within 15 min, 10 min, and 2 min, respectively. For surface disinfection, 2% and 5% Micro-Chem Plus™ and 75% ethanol reduced viral titers by ≥4 log10 TCID50/mL within 30 s; 1% sodium hypochlorite and 0.25% Virkon required 1 min, whereas 3% hydrogen peroxide required 3 min to achieve the same reduction. These results provide quantitative, evidence-based parameters that can serve as a valuable reference for the safe handling of LASV under controlled BSL-4 laboratory conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Consequence Viral Transmission)
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Other

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28 pages, 1766 KB  
Systematic Review
Person-to-Person Transmission of Andes Virus (ANDV): A Systematic Review of Transmission Dynamics, Viral Shedding, and Public Health Implications
by Flavia Pennisi, Antonio Pinto, Stefania Borlini, Sabrina Caruccio, Giusy D’Alterio, Carlo Signorelli and Giovanni Rezza
Viruses 2026, 18(7), 699; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18070699 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
Andes virus (ANDV) is the only hantavirus with well-documented evidence of person-to-person transmission. However, key parameters related to transmission timing, viral shedding, exposure contexts, and public health management remain incompletely defined. We conducted a systematic review in accordance with PRISMA 2020. MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, [...] Read more.
Andes virus (ANDV) is the only hantavirus with well-documented evidence of person-to-person transmission. However, key parameters related to transmission timing, viral shedding, exposure contexts, and public health management remain incompletely defined. We conducted a systematic review in accordance with PRISMA 2020. MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from database inception up to 14 May 2026. Eligible studies reported epidemiological, virological, clinical, or public health data relevant to ANDV infection, person-to-person transmission, viral shedding, and/or outbreak control. Thirty-three studies, including 17,204 individuals, 2221 laboratory-confirmed ANDV cases, and 135 documented secondary cases, were included. Person-to-person transmission was identified as a primary or co-occurring route in 20 papers. The median incubation period among ANDV cases was 20.8 days, and the median serial interval was 21.8 days (upper bounds near 40 days). Secondary attack rates were higher among sexual and other close contacts. ANDV RNA was consistently detected in blood and occasionally in saliva, respiratory secretions, urine, breast milk, and semen, although RNA detection alone does not necessarily imply infectious virus. Rare reports of culture-confirmed isolation of replication-competent virus support the biological plausibility of transmission via close mucosal or respiratory exposure. Unlike other hantaviruses, Andes virus can spread person to person through close contact, supporting prolonged monitoring and risk-stratified follow-up of high-risk contacts based on ANDV-specific epidemiological evidence. Possible recommendations, including post-discharge counselling regarding possible sexual transmission, remain provisional and require further evidence. Preparedness activities against outbreaks should also be implemented in non-endemic regions, while future research should prioritize prospective contact studies, standardized virological sampling, and genomic confirmation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Consequence Viral Transmission)
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