Zoonotic and Cross-Species Viruses: Molecular Mechanisms of Host Adaptation and Immune Response in the One Health Era

Emerging and re-emerging zoonotic viruses pose a persistent threat to global health, livestock production, and ecosystem stability. Viral spillover from animals to humans and cross-species transmission events are driven by complex interactions between pathogen evolution, host adaptation, and immune responses. Traditional studies often focus on single-host mechanisms, overlooking the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. The One Health paradigm provides an integrated framework to understand viral emergence by considering molecular mechanisms of host adaptation, immune evasion strategies, and ecological drivers of transmission. Investigating these processes is essential for deciphering the determinants of zoonotic potential and for designing effective prevention strategies that safeguard health across species and ecosystems.

Despite substantial progress, key questions remain about how viruses evolve to infect multiple hosts, modulate host immunity, and establish persistent or spillover infections. Moreover, translating mechanistic insights into effective preventive measures, including novel vaccines and immunization strategies, remains a major challenge. We invite studies that integrate virology, immunology, and molecular biology to elucidate host–virus interactions that determine zoonotic potential. Contributions may also explore innovative vaccine platforms, antiviral strategies, or host-targeted interventions that prevent cross-species transmission. By emphasizing a One Health perspective, this Research Topic seeks to bridge the gap between basic molecular insights and practical approaches to mitigating emerging zoonotic threats, fostering research that simultaneously considers human, animal, and environmental health.

This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, and Brief Research Reports addressing zoonotic and cross-species viruses in the context of One Health. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• Molecular and cellular mechanisms of viral host adaptation and immune evasion.
• Determinants of cross-species transmission and spillover events.
• Immune response profiling and correlates of protection across hosts.
• Development and evaluation of vaccines, immunomodulators, or other preventive strategies.
• Integrative studies connecting animal, human, and environmental health.
By focusing on cross-species dynamics and One Health-oriented prevention, this Research Topic will provide a comprehensive view of contemporary challenges and innovative strategies for mitigating the impact of emerging zoonotic viruses.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: host adaptation, vaccine development, Zoonotic viruses, cross-species transmission, immune response, One Health

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.