Viral Resistance

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Immunology, Vaccines, and Antivirals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 696

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Institute of Microbiology, Università degli Studi di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Interests: antibiotic resistance; antiviral resistance; molecular epidemiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Viral infections are a major public health problem. Continuous viral transmission and increased selective pressure favor the continued emergence of viruses resistant to both vaccines and antiviral drugs.

Mostly, RNA viruses exhibit high mutation rates for the use of RNA dependent RNA polymerases which lack proofreading activity. In this group are included, for example, Coronavirus, Ebola virus, Hepatitis C virus, Dengue virus, Zika virus, Chikungunya virus, Flu A virus, and Enterovirus.

Among DNA viruses, Hepatitis B virus and Cytomegalovirus showed high rates of genetic variability and great ability to develop drug resistance, respectively.

Today, several antiviral approaches are available, but they have several limitations such as the presence of side effects and the appearance of drug resistance that affect their clinical efficacy. Innovative approaches in the study of antiviral drugs can be fundamental in combating the problem of resistance. These strategies include technologies that increase the affinity of the drug for the target, reducing interactions with mutated binding pockets.

Furthermore, other approaches such as virtual screening, targeted protein/RNA degradation, resistance analysis during drug design, genetic editing, and RNA interference might be useful in fighting the emergence of drug resistance.

This Special Issue aims to provide the latest findings on antiviral resistance mechanisms, epidemiology, and all the aspects related to this topic. We invite experts from around the world to submit research articles, reviews, and systematic reviews about different topics, such as:

  • Emergence of DNA and RNA viruses resistant to antivirals;
  • Identification of new resistance mutation or resistance mechanism;
  • Drug mechanisms of action;
  • Viral escape against drug therapy;
  • Drug design principles to limit resistance development;
  • Discovery of new drugs;
  • New drug formulations.

Dr. Maria Antonia De Francesco
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • antiviral drugs
  • resistance
  • mechanism
  • mutations
  • viral escape
  • viral adaptation
  • variability
  • combination therapy

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 1185 KiB  
Article
Patterns of Transmitted Drug Resistance Mutations and HIV-1 Subtype Dynamics in ART-Naïve Individuals in Veneto, Italy, from 2017 to 2024
by Nicholas Geremia, Monica Basso, Andrea De Vito, Renzo Scaggiante, Mario Giobbia, Giuliana Battagin, Federico Dal Bello, Maria Teresa Giordani, Stefano Nardi, Marina Malena, Annamaria Cattelan and Saverio Giuseppe Parisi
Viruses 2024, 16(9), 1393; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16091393 - 30 Aug 2024
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Abstract
This study investigates the prevalence and patterns of transmitted drug resistance mutations (TDRMs) and HIV-1 subtypes among antiretroviral therapy (ART) naïve individuals in Veneto, Italy, from 2017 to 2024. This research aims to understand the dynamic landscape of TDRMs and HIV-1 genetic diversity [...] Read more.
This study investigates the prevalence and patterns of transmitted drug resistance mutations (TDRMs) and HIV-1 subtypes among antiretroviral therapy (ART) naïve individuals in Veneto, Italy, from 2017 to 2024. This research aims to understand the dynamic landscape of TDRMs and HIV-1 genetic diversity to inform treatment strategies effectively. We included all adult ART-naïve people with HIV (PWH) from seven infectious disease units in Veneto, Italy. We collected the genotypic resistance testing conducted to predict drug susceptibility and subtype distribution using the Stanford HIVdb algorithm. We included 762 PWH, showing a slight but statistically significant decline in the B subtype among Italian PWH (p = 0.045) and an increase in non-B subtypes among foreigners, though it was not statistically significant (p = 0.333). The most frequent mutations were in Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs), especially in non-B subtypes, with a notable rise from 10.7% in 2017–2019 to 15.5% in 2020–2024. Notably, TDRMs were consistently detected, highlighting an ongoing challenge despite the stable prevalence observed over the years. In addition, the data revealed a concerning rise in mutations against newer drug classes, such as integrase inhibitors. Conclusively, the study underscores the necessity of continuous surveillance of HIV subtypes and resistance patterns to adapt ART regimens optimally. Despite the stable levels of drug resistance, the emergence of resistance against newer drugs necessitates ongoing vigilance and possible adjustment in treatment protocols to enhance clinical outcomes and manage HIV drug resistance effectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Viral Resistance)
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