Infectious diseases have jeopardized human health significantly as evidenced by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. In recent years, the world has witnessed outbreaks of many emerging and re-emerging infections such as SARS (most recent by SARS-CoV-2), Ebola, Zika, MERS, dengue which in addition to taking millions of lives, have posed major health issues in recovered individuals. Moreover, several infectious agents like hepatitis B and C viruses, human papillomavirus, human immunodeficiency virus type 1, Epstein-Barr virus, human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type 1, Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, Helicobacter pylori and Streptococcus bovis have been found to cause different types of cancers since the action mechanism of these agents sometimes transforms an infected cell into a cancer cell. As these infections are difficult to treat with available drugs owing to their lower efficacy, toxicity and emergence of drug resistance; immunotherapy is viewed as a viable option.

Immunotherapy is manipulating body’s defense mechanism to treat/manage disease. Threats of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases in addition to dangers of developing cancer due to cancer-causing infectious agents combined with lack of effective treatment modalities has shifted focus of scientific community to immunotherapy. Advancements in immunotherapies comprising vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, T cells and checkpoint inhibitors have shown immense promise in combating not only cancer but infectious diseases as well. Through this Research Topic, we aim to discuss recent advances in immunotherapy-based treatment/management of infectious diseases We aim to include studies that evaluate how different forms of immunotherapies including vaccines have been/can be exploited for preventing/treating/managing infectious diseases.

We welcome Original Research Articles, Reviews, and Mini-reviews discussing the following main themes:

• Vaccines against emerging/re-emerging diseases.
• Vaccine design components/technologies such as adjuvants, delivery systems, administration route, dosage.
• Targeted therapy.
• Cancer immunotherapy using (but not limited to) monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, T cells and checkpoint inhibitors.
• Monoclonal antibodies (including nanobodies) against SARS-COV-2 for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19.
• Immunotherapies for infectious diseases using (but not limited to) monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, T cells and checkpoint inhibitors.

Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts elaborating the use of delivery systems/nanoparticles/nanomaterials for the aforementioned theme/themes.

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Frontiers in Medicine

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