Immunological Responses and Therapeutic Modulation in Viral Infections: From Acute Disease to Latency

Dear Colleagues,

Viral infections continue to present complex challenges to human health, from rapidly evolving pandemics to chronic, lifelong infections. The interplay between viral pathogens and the host immune system determines the trajectory of infection: whether the virus is cleared, persists in latency, or causes immunopathology. Recent advances in immunology, molecular virology, and therapeutic immunomodulation have transformed our understanding of how the immune system responds to viral invasion and how viruses, in turn, evolve to evade or subvert these defenses.

Acute viral infections such as those caused by SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, or Ebola virus often trigger intense inflammatory responses, sometimes culminating in cytokine storms and tissue damage. Conversely, viruses such as herpesviruses, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have developed sophisticated mechanisms to persist in the host, evade immune surveillance, and establish latency. The immune responses in these contexts differ dramatically, ranging from hyperactivation to exhaustion or immune tolerance.

This Special Issue will provide a comprehensive overview of the immune responses involved in various viral infections, spanning from acute to latent phases, and to highlight novel immunotherapeutic strategies. We invite contributions exploring the following:

• Innate and adaptive immunity in response to viral infections;
• Immune evasion mechanisms employed by viruses to establish persistence;
• Immunopathology and inflammation in acute and chronic viral diseases;
• Vaccine responses, including next-generation and mRNA vaccines;
• Cytokine networks, immune checkpoints, and T-cell exhaustion;
• Host genetic and epigenetic factors influencing immune responses;
• Viral latency and reactivation, including the role of immune control and escape;
• Immunomodulatory therapies and their potential to enhance viral clearance or suppress pathological inflammation.

By gathering original research, reviews, and perspectives from virology, immunology, and clinical disciplines, this Special Issue will advance our understanding of how viral infections shape and are shaped by the immune system. The collected articles will provide insights into current immunotherapeutic approaches, identify gaps in our knowledge, and offer directions for future research to improve viral disease outcomes through immune-based interventions.

We welcome submissions that address mechanistic studies, translational research, clinical trials, and emerging technologies to deepen our understanding of immunological processes in viral infections.

Dr. Sherif T.S. Hassan
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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Immuno is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1200 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.

• viral immunology
• host–virus interactions
• immune evasion
• viral latency
• immunopathology
• cytokine storm
• T-cell exhaustion
• immunotherapy
• vaccine responses
• chronic viral infections
• antiviral immunity