The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, is responsible for over 400 million cases and over 5. 5 million deaths worldwide. In response to widespread SARS-CoV-2 infection, immunization of the global population has approached 60% one dose and 54% full dose vaccination status. Emerging data indicates decreasing circulating antibody levels as well as decreases in other immune correlates in vaccinated individuals. Complicating the determination of vaccine effectiveness is the concomitant emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants with substantial antigenic differences from the ancestral D614G strain. The Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) spike protein has over 30 mutations compared with the D614G spike protein, which was used to design most SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in use today. Therefore, breakthrough cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections or severe disease in fully vaccinated individuals must be interpreted with caution taking into consideration vaccine waning and the degree of vaccine variant-mismatch resulting in adaptive immune evasion by novel emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Currently, two live attenuated vaccines are available throughout the world. Many countries have included rotavirus vaccines in national immunization program to reduce the disease burden. However, due to low efficacy of the available vaccines, satisfactory outcome has not yet been achieved in developing countries such as Bangladesh. Poor economic, public health, treatment, and sanitation status of the low-income countries necessitate the need for the most effective rotavirus vaccines. Therefore, the present scenario demands the development of a highly effective rotavirus vaccine. In this regard, inactivated rotavirus vaccine concept holds much promise for reducing the current disease burden. Recent advancements in developing an inactivated rotavirus vaccine indicate a significant progress towards disease prophylaxis and control.
Every year, millions of individuals throughout the world are seriously affected by dengue virus. The unavailability of a vaccine and of anti-viral drugs has made this mosquito-borne disease a serious health concern. Not only does dengue cause fatalities but it also has a profoundly negative economic impact. In recent decades, extensive research has been performed on epidemiology, vector biology, life cycle, pathogenesis, vaccine development and prevention. Although dengue research is still not at a stage to suggest definite hopes of a cure, encouraging significant advances have provided remarkable progress in the fight against infection. Recent developments indicate that both anti-viral drug and vaccine research should be pursued, in parallel with vector control programs.
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