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Pathogens
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The Epidemiology and Diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Infections
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The Epidemiology and Diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Infections

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 May 2025 | Viewed by 3067

Special Issue Editors

Dr. L. Gayani Tillekeratne

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
Interests: infectious diseases
Dr. Sweta M. Patel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
Interests: lung infection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is the most common reason for infection-related global outpatient visits and hospitalizations. Despite its ubiquity, the surveillance and diagnosis of ARI remain challenging. Even with the best diagnostic methods available, the etiology of ARI cannot be identified in many instances due to low diagnostic sensitivity. If a pathogen is identified, differentiation between colonization and infection can be impossible. Furthermore, the recent SARS-Coronavirus-2 pandemic has highlighted gaps in surveillance and diagnosis for emerging pathogens that cause ARI. In this Special Issue, we invite colleagues to submit original research articles and reviews on ARI surveillance in humans and animals or its diagnostic development and assessment.

Dr. L. Gayani Tillekeratne
Dr. Sweta M. Patel
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • acute respiratory infection
  • epidemiology
  • surveillance
  • diagnostics

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 4625 KiB  
Article
Burden and Risk Factors for Coinfections in Patients with a Viral Respiratory Tract Infection
by Pierachille Santus, Fiammetta Danzo, Juan Camilo Signorello, Alberto Rizzo, Andrea Gori, Spinello Antinori, Maria Rita Gismondo, Anna Maria Brambilla, Marco Contoli, Giuliano Rizzardini and Dejan Radovanovic
Pathogens 2024, 13(11), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13110993 - 13 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1116
Abstract
Which patients should be monitored for coinfections or should receive empirical antibiotic treatment, in patients with an acute viral respiratory infection, is largely unknown. We evaluated the prevalence, characteristics, outcomes of coinfected patients, and risk factors associated with a coinfection among patients with [...] Read more.
Which patients should be monitored for coinfections or should receive empirical antibiotic treatment, in patients with an acute viral respiratory infection, is largely unknown. We evaluated the prevalence, characteristics, outcomes of coinfected patients, and risk factors associated with a coinfection among patients with an acute viral infection. A retrospective, single-center study recruited consecutive patients from October 2022 to March 2023 presenting to the emergency department with signs of a respiratory tract infection. Patients were screened for respiratory viruses and bacterial/fungal secondary infections according to local standard procedures. Outcomes included severe disease, in-hospital complications, all-cause in-hospital and ICU-related mortality, time to death, time to discharge, and time to coinfection. The analysis included 652 patients. A viral infection and a secondary bacterial/fungal infection were detected in 39.1% and 40% of cases. Compared with the rest of the cohort, coinfected patients had more frequently severe disease (88.3%, p < 0.001; 51% in patients with SARS-CoV-2) and higher in-hospital mortality (16.5%, p = 0.010). Nephropathy (OR 3.649, p = 0.007), absence of COVID-19 vaccination (OR 0.160, p < 0.001), SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 2.390, p = 0.017), and lower blood pressure at admission (OR 0.980, p = 0.007) were independent risk factors for coinfection. Multidrug-resistant pathogens were detected in 30.8% of all coinfections. Patients with a viral infection are at high risk of bacterial coinfections, which carry a significant morbidity and mortality burden. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Epidemiology and Diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Infections)
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11 pages, 1471 KiB  
Article
Observational Study on the Clinical Reality of Community-Acquired Respiratory Virus Infections in Adults and Older Individuals
by Masayuki Nagasawa, Tomohiro Udagawa, Tomoyuki Kato, Ippei Tanaka, Ren Yamamoto, Hayato Sakaguchi and Yoshiyuki Sekikawa
Pathogens 2024, 13(11), 983; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13110983 - 9 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1116
Abstract
The impact of common respiratory virus infections on adults and older individuals in the community is unclear, excluding seasonal influenza viruses. We examined FilmArray® tests performed on 1828 children aged <10 years and 10,803 adults, including cases with few respiratory symptoms, between January [...] Read more.
The impact of common respiratory virus infections on adults and older individuals in the community is unclear, excluding seasonal influenza viruses. We examined FilmArray® tests performed on 1828 children aged <10 years and 10,803 adults, including cases with few respiratory symptoms, between January 2021 and June 2024. Approximately 80% of the children tested positive for ≥1 viruses, while 9.5% of the adults tested positive mostly for severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Besides SARS-CoV-2 infection, 66 out of 97 patients (68.0%) aged >60 years with rhinovirus/enterovirus (RV/EV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus-3 (PIV-3), or human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection required hospitalization, of whom seven died; 26 out of 160 patients (16.3%) aged <60 years required hospitalization mostly because of deterioration of bronchial asthma, with no reported deaths. In older patients with RV/EV infection, three with few respiratory symptoms died due to worsened heart failure. Although the frequency of common respiratory virus infections in older adults is low, it may be overlooked because of subclinical respiratory symptoms, and its clinical significance in worsening comorbidities in older adults should not be underestimated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Epidemiology and Diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Infections)
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Review

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44 pages, 5316 KiB  
Review
Harnessing Epigenetics: Innovative Approaches in Diagnosing and Combating Viral Acute Respiratory Infections
by Ankita Saha, Anirban Ganguly, Anoop Kumar, Nityanand Srivastava and Rajiv Pathak
Pathogens 2025, 14(2), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14020129 - 1 Feb 2025
Viewed by 236
Abstract
Abstract: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) caused by viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), pose significant global health challenges, particularly for the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Substantial evidence indicates that acute viral infections can manipulate the host’s epigenome [...] Read more.
Abstract: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) caused by viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), pose significant global health challenges, particularly for the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Substantial evidence indicates that acute viral infections can manipulate the host’s epigenome through mechanisms like DNA methylation and histone modifications as part of the immune response. These epigenetic alterations can persist beyond the acute phase, influencing long-term immunity and susceptibility to subsequent infections. Post-infection modulation of the host epigenome may help distinguish infected from uninfected individuals and predict disease severity. Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing effective treatments and preventive strategies for viral ARIs. This review highlights the critical role of epigenetic modifications following viral ARIs in regulating the host’s innate immune defense mechanisms. We discuss the implications of these modifications for diagnosing, preventing, and treating viral infections, contributing to the advancement of precision medicine. Recent studies have identified specific epigenetic changes, such as hypermethylation of interferon-stimulated genes in severe COVID-19 cases, which could serve as biomarkers for early detection and disease progression. Additionally, epigenetic therapies, including inhibitors of DNA methyltransferases and histone deacetylases, show promise in modulating the immune response and improving patient outcomes. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the epigenetic landscape of viral ARIs, extending beyond traditional genetic perspectives. These insights are essential for advancing diagnostic techniques and developing innovative treatments to address the growing threat of emerging viruses causing ARIs globally. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Epidemiology and Diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Infections)
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