Insights into Microbial Infections, Co-Infections, and Comorbidities
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 65
Special Issue Editor
2. Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, School of Laboratory Medicine & Medical Sciences, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
Interests: immunology; antimicrobial resistance; co-infections
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Microbial infections and co-infections are major global health concerns, significantly contributing to disease burden and mortality worldwide. Co-infections—the simultaneous occurrence of two or more infections within a host—introduce unique challenges in understanding disease dynamics, progression, and management due to intricate pathogen–pathogen and pathogen–host interactions. These interactions often overlap with, impact on, or are impacted by comorbidities, particularly noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, as well as biological factors such as dysbiosis and genetics. These NCDs alter host susceptibility, immune responses, and treatment outcomes, further complicating the management of microbial infections.
This Special Issue aims to explore the multifaceted relationships between microbial infections, co-infections, and comorbidities, emphasizing biological and mechanistic insights, along with real-world applications. Topics of interest include the molecular, cellular, and immunological basis of pathogenesis; pathogen–pathogen and host–pathogen interactions during co-infections; and the role of comorbidities/biological factors and antimicrobial resistance in complicating treatment strategies. Research addressing the diagnostic challenges of detecting multiple infections and their interplay with NCDs is also highly relevant. Furthermore, the Special Issue welcomes studies on the ecological and biophysical, including exposomic and physiological, impacts of microbial communities in the context of these diseases, including their role in modulating host immune responses and influencing therapeutic outcomes.
We particularly encourage submissions that address the confluence of co-infections with comorbidities and that highlight innovative approaches to combating these health challenges, including novel diagnostic tools, therapeutic strategies, and public health interventions. Interdisciplinary studies that integrate microbiology, immunology, epidemiology, and clinical perspectives are strongly encouraged. The findings presented in this Special Issue aim to contribute to global efforts to reduce the burden of infectious diseases and improve health outcomes for patients with complex disease profiles.
Dr. Zilungile Mkhize-Kwitshana
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- antimicrobial resistance
- cancer
- cardiovascular diseases
- co-infections
- comorbidities
- complex disease profiles
- diabetes
- infection pathogenesis
- immune modulation
- microbiome and co-infections
- noncommunicable diseases
- pathogen interactions
- pneumonia
- pulmonary infections
- sepsis
- stress tolerance
- therapeutics
- vaccine development
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