Special Issue "Pathogenesis of Chronic Viral Infections"

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Shyamasundaran Kottilil
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
Interests: bench-to-bedside research on pathogenesis and therapeutics for viral infections
Dr. Bhawna Poonia
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
Interests: viral immunology; immune exhaustion; immune modulation; immune therapies; vaccines; HIV; HBV; HCV
Dr. Lydia S.Y. Tang
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
Interests: hepatitis B translational research; clinical trials; hepatitis B cure strategies; hepatitis B treatment; minority community engagement; HIV; immunotherapy; vaccines

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Significant human pathogens causing medically important chronic infections include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Eradication of chronic viral infection can be achieved through high uptake of effective prophylaxis such as vaccination, and curative treatment. There is, however, no chronic infection for which both effective prophylaxis and curative treatments are available. Understanding the pathogenesis of viral persistence is crucial for identifying therapeutic targets. Viruses causing chronic infections employ a multitude of mechanisms for viral persistence and have unique pathogen–host interactions, and thus strategies for a cure must reflect this. Still, there is some commonality in their pathogenesis, including viral genome integration into the host genome, virus-specific host immunomodulation, immune exhaustion and immune escape mechanisms. Given the high benchmark of cure as a study outcome, cure research for these infections focuses on viral or immune biomarkers as surrogates for a potential cure. The paucity of data guiding definitions for “successful” changes in these biomarkers is a major impediment for cure research.

In this Special Issue, we will focus on mechanisms of viral persistence, specifically virus–host interactions, immunopathology and novel targets for vaccines and therapeutics.

Prof. Shyamasundaran Kottilil
Dr. Bhawna Poonia
Dr. Lydia S.Y. Tang
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 papers will be 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. 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 2200 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

  • HIV
  • HBV
  • HCV
  • HPV
  • pathology
  • latency
  • cccDNA
  • persistence
  • immune response
  • immune modulators
  • entry inhibitors
  • biomarkers
  • novel drug targets

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

Article
Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Persons Who Inject Drugs in the Middle East and North Africa: Intervention Strategies
Viruses 2021, 13(7), 1363; https://doi.org/10.3390/v13071363 - 14 Jul 2021
Viewed by 467
Abstract
There is a high incidence and prevalence of hepatitis C viral infection in persons with or without substance use disorders (SUDs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, but only a small number receive comprehensive care. Highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) [...] Read more.
There is a high incidence and prevalence of hepatitis C viral infection in persons with or without substance use disorders (SUDs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, but only a small number receive comprehensive care. Highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medications are available at substantially lower costs; however, complete elimination of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) can only be achieved if integrated care strategies target those at highest risk for HCV infection and transmission and improve access to care. Due to the high prevalence of SUD in the MENA region, strategies to eliminate HCV must focus on integrated healthcare across multiple subspecialties, including addiction medicine, psychiatry, infectious diseases, hepatology, and social work. In this invited manuscript, we review the epidemiology of HCV in the MENA region and highlight intervention strategies to attain the WHO’s goal of HCV eradication by 2030. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis of Chronic Viral Infections)
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