The Animal Microbiome in Health and Disease: From Insights to Innovations

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62024 Matelica, Italy
Interests: veterinary medicine; veterinary virology; veterinary bacteriology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62024 Matelica, Italy
Interests: veterinary medicine; veterinary bacteriology; antimicrobial resistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The animal microbiome is a dynamic and complex ecosystem that plays a fundamental role in host physiology, nutrition, and disease susceptibility. From livestock to companion animals, understanding the intricate balance of bacterial communities is paramount in advancing animal health, welfare, and sustainable production. The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) further underscores the urgent need to explore microbiome-based strategies as alternatives to traditional antibiotics.

This Special Issue, “The Animal Microbiome in Health and Disease: From Insights to Innovations”, will collate cutting-edge research that deepens our understanding of host–microbiota interactions across different animal species. We will explore how the microbiome contributes to health, how its disruption leads to disease, and how we can harness this knowledge for use in therapeutic and preventive applications.

As Guest Editors, we warmly invite the submission of original research articles, comprehensive reviews, short communications, and perspective pieces. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Microbiome dynamics in relation to diet, the environment, and disease;
  • The gut–lung axis, gut–brain axis, and other microbiota-mediated axes in animals;
  • Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics: mechanisms and efficacy;
  • The role of the microbiome in antimicrobial resistance dissemination;
  • Novel diagnostic tools and computational models for studying animal microbiomes;
  • Microbiome-targeted interventions for disease prevention and health promotion.

Your contributions will be invaluable in shaping the future of veterinary medicine and animal science.

Dr. Vincenzo Cuteri
Dr. Anna Rita Attili
Guest Editors

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 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

  • animal microbiome
  • antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
  • host–microbe interactions
  • dysbiosis probiotics
  • gut health
  • veterinary bacteriology
  • One Health

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

14 pages, 296 KB  
Review
Winter Storms Within: Climate-Driven Stressors Undermine Honey Bee Gut Microbiome
by Gagandeep Brar, Ramandeep Kaur, Mandeep Kaur Gill, Navjot Singh and Rupinderjeet Kaur
Microbiol. Res. 2026, 17(4), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/microbiolres17040067 - 27 Mar 2026
Viewed by 557
Abstract
Climate change is intensifying winters in temperate regions, posing a serious threat to Apis mellifera health. The gut microbiome, a distinct community of core bacterial species, is central to overwintering success by supporting immune function, nutrient assimilation, and pathogen resistance, but is highly [...] Read more.
Climate change is intensifying winters in temperate regions, posing a serious threat to Apis mellifera health. The gut microbiome, a distinct community of core bacterial species, is central to overwintering success by supporting immune function, nutrient assimilation, and pathogen resistance, but is highly sensitive to environmental stressors such as cold temperatures and dietary shifts. Stress-induced perturbations can reshape the composition and relative abundance of the gut microbiome in honey bees, leading to adverse effects on host health, physiological functions, and overwinter survival. Cold temperatures and additional stressors further destabilize the microbiome, compounding these effects. This review is the first to synthesize current knowledge on how extrinsic factors, such as diet, antibiotics, and pathogens, and intrinsic factors, including age and strain, influence the composition and function of the honey bee gut microbiota during the overwintering period. Given the increasing severity of winter conditions under climate change, a deeper understanding of microbiome–host–environment interactions is essential for improving honey bee resilience. By integrating evidence on the microbiome’s roles in nutrient utilization, immune modulation, and pathogen defense, this review outlines a framework to guide future research aimed at sustaining pollinator health and nutrition in a changing global climate. Full article
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