A review of licensed viral vaccines, some of their safety concerns, and the advances in the development of investigational viral vaccines

Abstract

Viral vaccines could be considered among the most important medical achievements of the 20th century. They have prevented much suffering and saved many lives. Although some curative antiviral drugs exist, we desperately depend on efforts by academic, governmental and industrial scientists in the advancement of viral vaccines in the prevention and control of infectious diseases. In the next decade, we hope to see advancement in the development of current and investigational viral vaccines against childhood and adult infections. In this article, we will review the licensed viral vaccines, some of their safety concerns, and the advances in the development of investigational viral vaccines.

Figure 1

Eczema vaccinatum. (Reprinted from Mucocutaneous Manifestations of Viral Diseases, 2002, Figs. 3–13, page 47 by courtesy of Marcel Dekker, Inc.).

Figure 2

Pustule on the lower eyelid secondary to autoinoculation of vaccinia. (Photograph courtesy of Roberto Arenas, MD, Mexico City, Mexico) (Reprinted from Mucocutaneous Manifestations of Viral Diseases, 2002, Figs. 3–11, page 47 by courtesy of Marcel Dekker, Inc.).