Modern methods for the development of antiviral vaccines

Antiviral vaccines have contributed substantially to a reduction in the morbidity and mortality suffered from viral infectious diseases, especially during the second half of the 20th century. The efficacy of traditional live-attenuated and inactivated vaccine formulations, however, has been limited for some viral diseases, due to either virus-specific or host-related challenges. The application of genetic engineering technologies developed in the past decades allows for the creation of novel subunit vaccines, viral vector vaccines and nucleic acid-based vaccines. These vaccines, in some cases complemented by novel adjuvants, elicit a more finely controlled immunological response that more effectively prevents certain viral infections. They can be tailored for immunologically hyporesponsive individuals or rapidly mount protection during an outbreak. This article provides an overview of these technologies and how they have been applied in vaccines that have recently become available.