In the era of rapid mRNA-based vaccines: Why is there no effective hepatitis C virus vaccine yet?

Future Prospects, Approaches, and the Government's Role in the Development of a Hepatitis C Virus Vaccine

Developing a safe and effective vaccine against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a top priority for global health. Despite recent advances in antiviral therapies, the high cost and limited accessibility of these treatments impede their widespread application, particularly in resource-limited settings. Therefore, the development of the HCV vaccine remains a necessity. This review article analyzes the current technologies, future prospects, strategies, HCV genomic targets, and the governmental role in HCV vaccine development. We discuss the current epidemiological landscape of HCV infection and the potential of HCV structural and non-structural protein antigens as vaccine targets. In addition, the involvement of government agencies and policymakers in supporting and facilitating the development of HCV vaccines is emphasized. We explore how vaccine development regulatory channels and frameworks affect research goals, funding, and public health policy. The significance of international and public-private partnerships in accelerating the development of an HCV vaccine is examined. Finally, the future directions for developing an HCV vaccine are discussed. In conclusion, the review highlights the urgent need for a preventive vaccine to fight the global HCV disease and the significance of collaborative efforts between scientists, politicians, and public health organizations to reach this important public health goal.

The potential use of bacteria and bacterial derivatives as drug delivery systems for viral infection

Viral infections in humans are responsible for fatalities worldwide and contribute to the incidence of various human ailments. Controllable targeted medicine delivery against many illnesses, including viral infection, may be significantly aided by using bacteria and bacteria-derived products. They may accumulate in diseased tissues despite physical obstacles, where they can launch antiviral immunity. The ability to genetically and chemically modify them means that vaccinations against viral infections may be manufactured and delivered to affected tissues more safely and effectively. The objective of this study is to provide an overview of the latest advancements in the field of utilizing bacteria and bacterial derivatives as carriers for administering medication to treat viral diseases such as SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, human papillomavirus, influenza, and Ebola virus.

Oncoviruses: How do they hijack their host and current treatment regimes

Viruses have the ability to modulate the cellular machinery of their host to ensure their survival. While humans encounter numerous viruses daily, only a select few can lead to disease progression. Some of these viruses can amplify cancer-related traits, particularly when coupled with factors like immunosuppression and co-carcinogens. The global burden of cancer development resulting from viral infections is approximately 12%, and it arises as an unfortunate consequence of persistent infections that cause chronic inflammation, genomic instability from viral genome integration, and dysregulation of tumor suppressor genes and host oncogenes involved in normal cell growth. This review provides an in-depth discussion of oncoviruses and their strategies for hijacking the host's cellular machinery to induce cancer. It delves into how viral oncogenes drive tumorigenesis by targeting key cell signaling pathways. Additionally, the review discusses current therapeutic approaches that have been approved or are undergoing clinical trials to combat malignancies induced by oncoviruses. Understanding the intricate interactions between viruses and host cells can lead to the development of more effective treatments for virus-induced cancers.

Seroprevalence and trends of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus in Syrian blood donors at Damascus University Blood Center between 2004 and 2021

Introduction

Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmitted viral infections (TTVIs) is a valuable indicator for assessing blood safety, population health and health system performance in the times of peace and conflicts. Only scarce information is available on the impact of the decade-long violent conflict on the prevalence of TTVIs in Syria. Moreover, hepatitis B vaccine was introduced to the national vaccination program in 1993; however, no data is available on the vaccine effectiveness.

Methods

In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we compiled the screening results for major TTVIs, namely hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), of volunteer donors at Damascus University Blood Center from May 2004 to October 2021. Prevalence was expressed in percentages for the entire study group and subgroups. Chi-square test and linear regression were used to examine the differences and describe trends in prevalence, respectively, based on demographic characteristics (i.e., age and gender) and time. P-value of <0.005 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Of the total 307,774 donors (82.27% males, median age 27 years), 5,929 (1.93%) had serological evidence of at least one TTVI, and 26 (0.0085%) had multiple infections. The lowest prevalence (1.09%) was detected in donors aged 18-25 years old, and a higher prevalence (2.05%) was evident in males in comparison with females (1.38%). The seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV was 1.18, 0.52, and 0.23%, respectively. Trend analyses revealed a significant regression in HBV and HIV prevalence from 2011 to 2021. HBV seropositivity depicted a temporal decline by ~80%, from 0.79% in 2011 to 0.16% in 2021 in those born in 1993 and thereafter.

Discussion

The seroprevalence of HBV, HIV, and to a lesser extent HCV dropped over the study 18-year period. Possible explanations may include implementation of the HBV vaccine, robust national health system, conservative sociocultural values, and isolation.

Recent Advances in Protective Vaccines against Hepatitis Viruses: A Narrative Review

Vaccination has been confirmed to be the safest and, sometimes, the only tool of defense against threats from infectious diseases. The successful history of vaccination is evident in the control of serious viral infections, such as smallpox and polio. Viruses that infect human livers are known as hepatitis viruses and are classified into five major types from A to E, alphabetically. Although infection with hepatitis A virus (HAV) is known to be self-resolving after rest and symptomatic treatment, there were 7134 deaths from HAV worldwide in 2016. In 2019, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) resulted in an estimated 820,000 and 290,000 deaths, respectively. Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a satellite virus that depends on HBV for producing its infectious particles in order to spread. The combination of HDV and HBV infection is considered the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is another orally transmitted virus, common in low- and middle-income countries. In 2015, it caused 44,000 deaths worldwide. Safe and effective vaccines are already available to prevent hepatitis A and B. Here, we review the recent advances in protective vaccines against the five major hepatitis viruses.