This Research Topic is the second volume of the “Regulation of the Host Immune Activation in Respiratory Virus Infections” Community Series. Please see Volume I here.
Respiratory viruses cause serious emerging infectious diseases. Not only the catastrophic novel influenza viruses, SARS, MERS, or COVID-19, but seasonal influenza viruses periodically lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The host immune system reacts to an infection in order to eradicate the pathogen. However, dysregulated and/or an overwhelming immune responses have been postulated as the major causes of serious illness and death. “Cytokine storm” has been found to occur in SARS, severe influenza, and COVID-19. Important disease mechanisms in COVID-19, such as ADE (Antibody-Dependent Enhancement) or HITT (Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenic Thrombosis), are also the result of dysregulated immune reactions. The role of T cells and the adaptive immune system are known to be important but the exact mechanisms have yet to be elucidated.
Efforts to control overwhelming immune reactions with broad-spectrum immunosuppressive agents have generally been unsatisfactory. These agents often hinder the immune system's ability to clear viruses while suppressing inflammation, which can sometimes worsen the disease. A detailed understanding of immune activation and regulation in severe respiratory virus infections is crucial for improving and personalizing treatments.
In this Research Topic, we invite submissions including Original Research, Reviews/Mini Reviews, Clinical Trials, and shorter Perspective articles that explore, but are not limited to:
• Regulation of host adaptive immune activation in respiratory virus infections
• Humans and animal models
• Insights into the role of T cells in immune modulation during severe respiratory virus infections
Keywords: Respiratory virus infections, T cells, Immune Modulation, Inflammation
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
