Vaccines against Coronaviruses: The State of the Art
The emerging epidemic caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 represents the most important socio-health threat of the 21st century. The high contagiousness of the virus, the strong impact on the health system of the various countries and the absence to date of treatments able to improve the progno...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-06-01
|
| Series: | Vaccines |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/2/309 |
| _version_ | 1827714895224766464 |
|---|---|
| author | Cristiano Conte Francesco Sogni Paola Affanni Licia Veronesi Alberto Argentiero Susanna Esposito |
| author_facet | Cristiano Conte Francesco Sogni Paola Affanni Licia Veronesi Alberto Argentiero Susanna Esposito |
| author_sort | Cristiano Conte |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The emerging epidemic caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 represents the most important socio-health threat of the 21st century. The high contagiousness of the virus, the strong impact on the health system of the various countries and the absence to date of treatments able to improve the prognosis of the disease make the introduction of a vaccine indispensable, even though there are currently no approved human coronavirus vaccines. The aim of the study is to carry out a review of the medical literature concerning vaccine candidates for the main coronaviruses responsible for human epidemics, including recent advances in the development of a vaccine against COVID-19. This extensive review carried out on the vaccine candidates of the main epidemic coronaviruses of the past has shown that the studies in animal models suggest a high efficacy of potential vaccines in providing protection against viral challenges. Similar human studies have not yet been carried out, as the main trials are aimed at assessing mainly vaccine safety and immunogenicity. Whereas the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) epidemic ended almost two decades ago and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) epidemic is now better controlled, as it is less contagious due to the high lethality of the virus, the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represents a problem that is certainly more compelling, which pushes us to accelerate the studies not only for the production of vaccines but also for innovative pharmacological treatments. SARS-CoV-2 vaccines might come too late to affect the first wave of this pandemic, but they might be useful if additional subsequent waves occur or in a post-pandemic perspective in which the virus continues to circulate as a seasonal virus. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:06:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-33b3fe95881c4de1bf150fc5070838ed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:06:54Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-33b3fe95881c4de1bf150fc5070838ed2023-11-20T04:04:30ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2020-06-018230910.3390/vaccines8020309Vaccines against Coronaviruses: The State of the ArtCristiano Conte0Francesco Sogni1Paola Affanni2Licia Veronesi3Alberto Argentiero4Susanna Esposito5Pediatric Clinic, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pietro Barilla Children’s Hospital, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, ItalyPediatric Clinic, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pietro Barilla Children’s Hospital, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, ItalyPediatric Clinic, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pietro Barilla Children’s Hospital, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, ItalyPediatric Clinic, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pietro Barilla Children’s Hospital, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, ItalyThe emerging epidemic caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 represents the most important socio-health threat of the 21st century. The high contagiousness of the virus, the strong impact on the health system of the various countries and the absence to date of treatments able to improve the prognosis of the disease make the introduction of a vaccine indispensable, even though there are currently no approved human coronavirus vaccines. The aim of the study is to carry out a review of the medical literature concerning vaccine candidates for the main coronaviruses responsible for human epidemics, including recent advances in the development of a vaccine against COVID-19. This extensive review carried out on the vaccine candidates of the main epidemic coronaviruses of the past has shown that the studies in animal models suggest a high efficacy of potential vaccines in providing protection against viral challenges. Similar human studies have not yet been carried out, as the main trials are aimed at assessing mainly vaccine safety and immunogenicity. Whereas the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) epidemic ended almost two decades ago and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) epidemic is now better controlled, as it is less contagious due to the high lethality of the virus, the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represents a problem that is certainly more compelling, which pushes us to accelerate the studies not only for the production of vaccines but also for innovative pharmacological treatments. SARS-CoV-2 vaccines might come too late to affect the first wave of this pandemic, but they might be useful if additional subsequent waves occur or in a post-pandemic perspective in which the virus continues to circulate as a seasonal virus.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/2/309coronavirusMERSpandemicSARSSARS-CoV-2vaccine candidate |
| spellingShingle | Cristiano Conte Francesco Sogni Paola Affanni Licia Veronesi Alberto Argentiero Susanna Esposito Vaccines against Coronaviruses: The State of the Art Vaccines coronavirus MERS pandemic SARS SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate |
| title | Vaccines against Coronaviruses: The State of the Art |
| title_full | Vaccines against Coronaviruses: The State of the Art |
| title_fullStr | Vaccines against Coronaviruses: The State of the Art |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vaccines against Coronaviruses: The State of the Art |
| title_short | Vaccines against Coronaviruses: The State of the Art |
| title_sort | vaccines against coronaviruses the state of the art |
| topic | coronavirus MERS pandemic SARS SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/2/309 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cristianoconte vaccinesagainstcoronavirusesthestateoftheart AT francescosogni vaccinesagainstcoronavirusesthestateoftheart AT paolaaffanni vaccinesagainstcoronavirusesthestateoftheart AT liciaveronesi vaccinesagainstcoronavirusesthestateoftheart AT albertoargentiero vaccinesagainstcoronavirusesthestateoftheart AT susannaesposito vaccinesagainstcoronavirusesthestateoftheart |