About this Research Topic

Background

Neurotropic viruses can reach and infect the central nervous system (CNS). They can enter the CNS through direct infection of nerves or cerebral barriers or through cell-mediated transport, where peripheral lymphoid and myeloid immune cells allow viruses to enter through their interaction with the blood-brain barrier (BBB) or blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). Although most of the studies have been traditionally focused on neurons, it has been shown that different virus target different cell types in the CNS leading to different symptoms.
Well-characterized neurotropic viruses include herpes simplex virus (HSV), rabies virus (RABV) and polioviruses, but many emerging viruses can reach the brain such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus (WNV), Zika virus (ZIKV), or SARS-CoV-2.

Viral infection is the most common cause of encephalitis, but it also causes meningitis and myelitis. The viral infection activates the CNS immune cells and the peripheral leucocytes, inducing encephalitis and neuroinflammation. After the virus is cleared, the immunological response in the CNS can remain active, leading to long-lasting psychiatric, neurocognitive, and neurodegenerative symptoms.
Besides these more direct effects of viral infection, there are several CNS diseases suggested to be caused by delayed virus-induced disorders: multiple sclerosis, Guillain–Barré syndrome, narcolepsy, and encephalitis lethargica. Additionally, they have also been linked to the onset and progression of some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Neurotropic viruses are a worldwide threat and represent a severe economic burden, hence understanding their cellular and molecular mechanisms is crucial for the design of more efficient therapies.

This Research Topic aims to address the following subtopics:
- Acute consequences of neurotropic viral infection.
- Long term-effects of viral neuroinfections.
- Effect of age on viral immune response in CNS.
- Trafficking and dissemination of the virus to and within the CNS.
- Role of lymphatics in neurotropic viral infection and immunity.
- Function of glial cells in responding to neurotropic viral infection.
- Viral-mediated cytokine storm and neuropathology.

We welcome submissions of Original Research, Review, Mini-Review, Hypothesis and Theory, Perspective, Clinical Trial, Case Report and Opinion article.

Keywords: neurotropic virus, herpes simplex virus, rabies virus, polioviruses, tick-borne encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, Zika virus, SARS-CoV-2, neurotropic viral infection, viral immune response

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