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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii that presents significant challenges for global public health control. Current prevention relies primarily on the whole-cell vaccine “Q-VAX”, which despite its effectiveness, faces important limitations including pre-screening requirements and reactogenicity issues in previously sensitized individuals. This comprehensive review examines the complex interplay between pathogen characteristics, host immune responses, and vaccine development strategies. We analyze recent advances in understanding C. burnetii’s molecular pathogenesis and host–pathogen interactions that have informed vaccine design. The evolution of vaccine approaches is evaluated, from traditional whole-cell preparations to modern subunit, DNA, and multi-epitope designs. Particular attention is given to innovative technologies, including reverse vaccinology and immunoinformatics, that have enabled the identification of novel antigenic targets. Recent clinical data demonstrating the safety and immunogenicity of next-generation vaccine candidates are presented, alongside manufacturing and implementation considerations. While significant progress has been made in overcoming the limitations of first-generation vaccines, challenges remain in optimizing immunogenicity while ensuring safety across diverse populations. This review provides a critical analysis of current evidence and future directions in Q fever vaccine development, highlighting promising strategies for achieving more effective and broadly applicable vaccines.

Details

Title
Q Fever Vaccines: Unveiling the Historical Journey and Contemporary Innovations in Vaccine Development
Author
Christodoulou, Magdalini  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Papagiannis, Dimitrios  VIAFID ORCID Logo 
First page
151
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
2076393X
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3171236890
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.