Due to the remarkable success of the Research Topic 'High-Impact Respiratory RNA Virus Diseases' and the rapidly evolving subject area, we are pleased to launch Volume II for this topic.

The threat posed by avian influenza to humans today, the possibility of a coronavirus associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) reemerging, and the discovery of numerous novel respiratory viruses highlight the need for the creation of therapeutic and preventative measures to fend off viral infection. The development of vaccines is essential for preventing the spread of viral illnesses as well as for lowering the morbidity and fatality rates related to various viral infections. The development of effective vaccinations against newly developing viral diseases will proceed more quickly thanks to the lessons learnt from ongoing vaccine research and our growing understanding of the host and viral components involved in viral pathogenesis.

RNA viruses have a high mutation rate due to the error-prone nature of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The gradual accumulation of non-synonymous mutations in the virus genome results in antigenic drift and vaccination failure. Most pathologies caused by RNA viruses have respiratory tract infection as their entry route and invade epithelia such as digestive, renal, and reproductive. RNA viruses such as orthomyxoviruses, coronaviruses, and paramyxoviruses cause severe disease and a high mortality rate in birds and mammals, including humans, despite vaccination. Viral respiratory tract pathologies in animal production environments, with a high concentration of animals and a greater opportunity for spreading diseases and viral infections, the ongoing exchange of RNA viruses, particularly from animals to humans, poses a serious global health risk. In addition, RNA viral diseases cause significant losses to livestock and working animal producers and have detrimental consequences on animal welfare.

The Research Topic welcomes papers describing all aspects of respiratory diseases caused by RNA viruses in mammals and birds, including molecular interactions between pathogens and hosts, environmental changes, immunity, and disease prevention.

We encourage the submission of manuscripts that explore themes such as (but not limited to):

• Description of respiratory virus infections in domestic animals
• Pathobiology of viral infections
• Pathogenesis of viral infections
• Host immune response of viral infections
• Biosafety of viral infections
• Novel vaccine development for respiratory virus infections

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Frontiers in Veterinary Science

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