Modern vaccine strategies for emerging zoonotic viruses

Abstract

Introduction: The significant increase in the emergence of notable zoonotic viruses in the previous decades has become a serious concern to global public health. Ninety-nine percent of infectious diseases have originated from zoonotic viruses with immense potential for dissemination, infecting the susceptible population completely lacking herd immunity.

Areas covered: Zoonotic viruses appear in the last two decades as a major health threat either newly evolved or previously present with elevated prevalence in the last few years are selected to explain their current prophylactic measures. In this review, modern generation vaccines including viral vector vaccines, mRNA vaccines, DNA vaccines, synthetic vaccines, virus-like particles, and plant-based vaccines are discussed with their benefits and challenges. Moreover, the traditional vaccines and their efficacy are also compared with the latest vaccines.

Expert opinion: The emergence and reemergence of viruses that constantly mutate themselves have greatly increased the chance of transmission and immune escape mechanisms in humans. Therefore, the only possible solution to prevent viral infection is the use of vaccines with improved safety profile and efficacy, which becomes the basis of modern generation vaccines.

Keywords: Immune response; herd immunity; pathogen; vaccine; viral vectors; zoonotic virus.