Immunopathogenesis of Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021
1São Paulo State University, São Vicent, Brazil
2São Paulo University, São Paulo, Brazil
3Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Immunopathogenesis of Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021
Description
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) represent a set of communicable diseases affecting around one billion people worldwide, living mainly in low-income countries. Additionally, people living in close contact with vectors of infectious diseases, including wild and domestic animals, and without sanitation are the ones most affected. Thus, populations in contact with pathogens can develop different NTDs, such as leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, sleeping sickness, schistosomiasis, chromoblastomycosis, dengue fever, and onchocerciasis, among others.
Although the biological cycles of NTDs etiological agents are well-known, there is little accumulated information about the interaction between infectious agents and innate as well as acquired immunity in the majority of NTDs. This type of data is important because it is the basis of understanding how morphophysiological changes occur in the host, and is also the key to design prophylactic strategies, such as vaccines and adjuvants as well as effective therapeutic interventions, diagnostic tests, and clinical management.
This Special Issue therefore aims to highlight the latest advances in the interactions between infectious agents that cause NTDs and the genetic and immunological background of the host, with a special focus on the role of innate and acquired immune responses using in vitro and in vivo approaches. Studies with a central focus on the immunopathology of NTDs are welcome, as is the case of immunoprophylaxis, adjuvant development, histopathology, advances in diagnosis, and new therapeutic strategies. We also welcome review articles as well as original research.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Infections caused by NTDs etiologic agents
- Microbe and host cell relationship
- Role of innate and acquired immune cells in NTDs
- Participation of mediators of inflammation in NTDs
- The role of host and infectious agent proteins and how they can modulate inflammatory responses
- Histopathology and immunopathology
- Vaccine development
- Therapeutic strategies
- Immunomodulatory drugs
- Advances in immunological, parasitological, and molecular diagnosis of NTDs