Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Mycobacterial Infections

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 968

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
Interests: pulmonary infectious diseases; lung cancer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mycobacterial infections—including tuberculosis (TB), latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), and nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) diseases—remain significant global health challenges, with the emergence of drug resistance and complex host–pathogen interactions complicating clinical management. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics, genomics, host immune profiling, and pharmacologic development offer new opportunities to improve early detection, understand transmission dynamics, and enhance therapeutic strategies.

This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and critical reviews that highlight novel approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of mycobacterial infections. We welcome original research and comprehensive review articles addressing a wide range of topics, including but not limited to: genetic and phenotypic characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and NTM species, mechanisms of drug resistance and tolerance, host–pathogen interactions, host immunity, innovative diagnostic tools, and the development and evaluation of new treatment regimens.

We particularly encourage submissions that bridge basic, translational, and clinical research, as well as those that explore interdisciplinary approaches combining microbiology, immunology, pharmacology, and public health.

To advance the field and foster collaboration among researchers, clinicians, and public health experts, we invite you to contribute your latest findings or perspectives to this Special Issue. Together, we hope to deepen our understanding and improve outcomes for patients affected by mycobacterial diseases.

We look forward to your valuable contributions.

Dr. Hung-Ling Huang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • mycobacterial infection
  • tuberculosis
  • latent TB infection
  • nontuberculous mycobacterial infection
  • immunity
  • transmission
  • drug resistance

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 2773 KB  
Article
Unlocking the Diagnostic Challenge of Tuberculosis and Sarcoidosis Intrathoracic Lymphadenopathy: Potential Role of HMGB1 and miRNA-221 as Diagnostic Tools
by Fatma Z. Kamel, Nagwan Adel Ismail, Asmaa Z. Khater, Alia A. El Shahawy, Noura Almadani, Chandrakala Sankarapandian and Noha M. Hammad
Microorganisms 2026, 14(2), 369; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14020369 - 4 Feb 2026
Viewed by 674
Abstract
Tuberculosis and sarcoidosis can present with similar clinical and radiological features, especially intrathoracic lymphadenopathy, complicating differential diagnosis. This study explored the potential utility of QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT), serum High Mobility Group Box 1 protein (HMGB1), and microRNA-221 (miRNA-221) relative expression as biomarkers to [...] Read more.
Tuberculosis and sarcoidosis can present with similar clinical and radiological features, especially intrathoracic lymphadenopathy, complicating differential diagnosis. This study explored the potential utility of QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT), serum High Mobility Group Box 1 protein (HMGB1), and microRNA-221 (miRNA-221) relative expression as biomarkers to aid in distinguishing tuberculosis-related intrathoracic lymphadenopathy (TBIL) from sarcoidosis-related intrathoracic lymphadenopathy (SAIL). The study included 27 patients with TBIL, 27 patients with SAIL, and 27 healthy controls. QFT results, serum HMGB1 levels, and miRNA-221 relative expression were measured and compared across groups using univariable and exploratory multivariable analyses. Significant differences were observed among the study groups for serum HMGB1 levels, miRNA-221 expression, and QFT results (p < 0.001). Both TBIL and SAIL patients had significantly higher HMGB1 levels compared with healthy controls, consistent with inflammatory activity. In contrast, miRNA-221 expression was significantly elevated in TBIL patients compared with both SAIL patients and controls. Exploratory analyses suggested a potential contribution of miRNA-221 to differentiating TBIL from SAIL, whereas the effects of HMGB1 and QFT were less pronounced after adjustment. The findings suggest that miRNA-221, alongside HMGB1 and QFT, may contribute to the differentiation of TBIL from SAIL, although validation in larger cohorts is necessary. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Mycobacterial Infections)
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