HIV, hepatitis, influenza, the common cold, herpes, Ebola, Hantavirus, West Nile fever, dengue, TT virus--the viral world keeps posing new major challenges to human health each year. At the same time as this onslaught of emerging powerful viral infections, our antibiotic arsenals are losing ground and our immune systems are compromised. Can we handle the next viral epidemic? Yes, says James Williams, an experienced, credentialled naturopath, acupuncturist, and expert in traditional Chinese medicine. We can shore up our immune system to handle current and any future viral infections and not be dependent on conventional vaccinations or antibiotics to insure our health. In 10 practical steps, Dr. Williams shows how to develop unassailable viral immunity using natural approaches. If you already have a viral infection, these steps will help you reverse its effects; if you're concerned about exposure to one in the future, these steps will give you the keys to prevention. Included in these steps are the best that natural medicine offers: stress management, enzymes, nutrients, detoxification, oxygen therapy, immune modulators, hormones, natural antiviral medicines and anti-inflammatory medicines, Chinese and Western herbs, and more. "Viral immunity is without question one of the most important health issues of this century," says Dr. Williams. "The message of this book is clear. You can improve your system in general with diet, lifestyle, and natural medicines. Here you will find natural ways of improving immune function, remedies to treat viral infections, and suggestions on how to reframe outdated concepts that could otherwise prevent you from obtaining effective treatment."

This book discusses various components of the innate and adaptive immune response in combating viral infections, presenting the recent advances in our understanding of innate immunity recognition of viruses and highlighting the important role of inflammation, cytokines such as interferon, toll-like receptors and leukocytes in the initial detection of invading viruses and subsequent activation of adaptive immunity. It also summarizes the role of the adaptive immunity against viral infections through clearance of virus and establishment of memory response that protects against the recurrent infections. In addition, the book examines the role of DNA and RNA sensors in viral recognition and in controlling viral infection. Lastly, it reviews the latest developments in the development of the rational viral vaccines. As such it is a useful resource book for postgraduate and early researchers wanting to gain insights into the immune response to viral infections.

Virus diseases continue to represent serious health problems in most parts of the world. In spite of the fact that diseases such as polio myelitis and measles have been controlled in the industrialized countries by vaccination, vaccines now in use in tropical countries have proved not to be optimal. Further research is needed to develop new vaccines that will be effective in all countries. To do so we need to understand better the immune response to different viruses so that we may be able to maxi mize the protective response of new vaccines and minimize their potential immunopathologic effect. An exciting new discovery which is now being further developed is the possibility of being able to use some viruses (e.g. vaccinia, adenoviruses, etc.), as carriers for other antigens. This may open up the way for the production of vaccines that will be inexpensive and that will confer long lasting immunity after only one injection. This meeting has also served to review our present knowledge of virus diseases which are still of great importance such as hepatitis, dengue and influenza.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) have emerged as a promising anticancer treatment. OVs selectively infect, replicate in, and kill tumor cells. Oncolytic viral therapy occurs in two phases: an initial phase where the virus mediates direct oncolysis of tumor cells, and a second phase where an induced post-oncolytic immune response continues to mediate tumor destruction and retards progression of the disease. For a long time, the therapeutic efficacy was thought to depend mainly on the direct viral oncolysis based on their tumor selective replication and killing activities. But the post-oncolytic anti-tumor activity induced by the OV therapy is also a key factor for an efficient therapeutic activity. The topic adresses various strategies how to optimize OVs anti-tumor activity.

Plant viruses impose a serious threat on agriculture, which motivates extensive breeding efforts for viral resistant crops and inspires lasting interests on basic research to understand the mechanisms underlying plant immunity against viruses. Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites. Their genomes are usually small and only encode a few products that are essential to hijack host machinery for their nucleotide and protein biosynthesis, and that are necessary to suppress host immunity. Plants evolved multilayers of defense mechanisms to defeat viral infection. In this research topic, we gathered 13 papers covering recent advances in different aspects of plant immunity against viruses, including reviews on RNA silencing and R gene based immunity and their application, translational initiation factor mediated recessive resistance, genome editing based viral immunity, role of chloroplast in plant-virus interaction, and research articles providing new mechanistic insights on plant-virus interactions. We hope that this Research Topic helps readers to have a better understanding of the progresses that have been made recently in plant immunity against viruses. A deeper understanding of plant antiviral immunity will facilitate the development of innovative approaches for crop protections and improvements.

Although inflammation is one of the body's first responses to infection, overactive immune responses can cause chronic inflammatory diseases. Long-term low-grade inflammation has also been identified as a risk factor for other diseases. Diet, immunity and inflammation provides a comprehensive introduction to immunity and inflammation and the role that diet and nutrition play with regard to this key bodily response.Part one, an introductory section, discusses innate and adaptive immunity, mucosal immunity in a healthy gut and chronic inflammatory diseases and low grade inflammation. Chapters in part two highlight the role of micronutrients, including zinc, selenium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin D, in inflammation and immunity. Part three explores other dietary constituents and includes chapters on intestinal bacteria and probiotics, the impacts of prebiotics on the immune system and inflammation, and antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of food bioactive proteins and peptides. Further chapters explore the role of olive oil, short and long chain fatty acids and arginine and glutamine in immune functions. Nutrition, immunity and inflammation are discussed from an integrative and life course perspective in part four. Chapters focus on adverse immune reactions to foods, early nutritional programming, the impact of nutrition on the immune system during ageing, the impact of exercise on immunity and the interaction with nutrition, and the effect that malnutrition has on immunity and susceptibility to infection.With its distinguished editors and international team of expert contributors, Diet, immunity and inflammation is a comprehensive resource for those researching immunology or inflammation, nutrition scientists, and professionals in the food and nutrition industries who require an understanding of the effect that diet can have on the immune system and inflammation. - Provides an overview of key research in the important and connected areas of inflammation, infection, overactive immune responses, diseases and diet - Outlines the fundamentals of immunity and inflammation and reviews the effects of different food constituents - Discusses important related issues, such as ageing and exercise

First Published in 1985, this book offers a full insight into the differences and similarities between varying diseases. Carefully compiled and filled with a vast repertoire of notes, diagrams, and references this book serves as a useful reference for students of medicine and other practitioners in their respective fields.

The innate immune system has evolved means to recognize and react suitably to foreign entities such as infectious agents. In many cases infectious microorganisms threaten the integrity and function of the target organs or tissues; therefore, consequent to their recognition the immune system becomes activated to ensure their elimination. Toll-like receptors (TLR) constitute a family of receptors specialized in the recognition of molecular patterns typically associated with infectious agents. Different TLRs exist, each selective for molecular entities and motifs belonging to a specific pathogen group. Consequently, it is thought that the molecular nature of invading microorganisms activates specific TLRs to drive adequate anti-infectious immunity. For instance, nucleic acid-specific, intracellular receptors (TLR3/7/8/9) are used to sense viruses and drive antiviral immunity, while other receptors (such as TLR2 and TLR4) recognize and promote immunity against bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Yet, it is becoming evident that activation of TLR pathways trigger mechanisms that not only stimulate but also regulate the immune system. For instance, TLR stimulation by viruses will drive antiviral interferon but also immunoregulatory cytokine production and regulatory T cell activation. Stimulation of TLRs by bacteria or using molecular agonists can also trigger both immune stimulatory and regulatory responses. TLR stimulation by infectious agents likely serves to activate but also control anti-infectious immunity, for instance prevent potential immunopathological tissue damage which can be caused by acute immune defense mechanisms. Previous work by us and others has shown that the immunoregulatory arm of TLR stimulation can additionally help control autoreactive processes in autoimmune disease. Hence, it is becoming established that gut commensals, which also play a crucial part in the control of autoimmune disease, establish immune regulatory mechanisms through activation of particular TLRs. In sum, it appears that TLRs are key immune players that not only stimulate but also regulate immune processes in health and disease. In this Research Topic, we wish to review the dual role of TLRs as activators and regulators of immune responses. We aim to motivate data-driven opinions as to the importance of context of TLR agonism for determining immune activation vs. regulation. The presentation of ongoing original works, as well as data and opinions around other innate immune receptors pertaining to this topic, are also encouraged.