Pathogenesis and Immunology of Visceral Leishmaniasis
A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitic Pathogens".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2025 | Viewed by 1191
Special Issue Editor
Interests: leishmania infantum; visceral leishmaniasis; pathogenesis; immunology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Most patients with viscerotropic Leishmania species do not develop visceral leishmaniasis or kala-azar disease. However, the disease is lethal if not treated quickly and adequately. Transmission occurs from bites from a species of sandfly. Host immunity status, including whether they are suffering from AIDS and using drug immunosuppression, their sex and genetic background, and sandfly-related factors, seem to modulate susceptibility to infection. Disease severity and mortality are mediated by Leishmania virulence factors that must be precisely identified. Patients develop a protracted course of disease with fever, anemia, wasting, hepatosplenomegaly, generalized edema, jaundice, diarrhea, and other signs and symptoms. Laboratory changes include neutropenia, lymphocytopenia, a low platelet count, low albumin, high gammaglobulins, elevated C-reactive proteins, and a higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate. HIV is a common risk factor, but the interaction of both pathogens is not well known. Hemorrhages are likely due to disseminated intravascular coagulation, and bacterial infections seem to result from a process known as immunoparalysis. Understanding these factors may help uncover the pathogenic basis of many infectious diseases and may help find new treatment opportunities for these diseases to avoid fatalities.
Prof. Dr. Carlos Henrique Nery Costa
Guest Editor
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
- leishmania infantum
- leishmania donovani
- visceral leishmaniasis
- kala-azar
- hemorrhages
- HIV
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.
