Immune Response to Pathogen Infection
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology and Immunology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 15
Special Issue Editors
Interests: pathogen infection; immunogenetics; immune regulation; immune response
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The immune response to pathogen infection is a complex and tightly regulated process that involves both innate and adaptive mechanisms working together to control and clear invading microorganisms. Immunogenetic factors play a major role in shaping these responses, since genetic variations—including different alleles and polymorphisms in key immune-related genes like HLA, TLRs or cytokines—can influence individual susceptibility, disease severity, and even how efficiently the immune system reacts. These variations also affect cytokine and chemokine patterns, leading to inflammatory profiles that may help resolve the infection or, in some cases, contribute to unwanted immunopathology.
Within the adaptive immune branch, T and B lymphocytes are crucial players. T cells coordinate cellular immunity, helping eliminate infected cells and regulating inflammatory responses, while B cells produce specific antibodies and contribute to long-term humoral memory. The response to vaccination is also strongly affected by these immunogenetic determinants, which can modify both the magnitude and the duration of the protective immunity generated.
In addition, the microbiome has emerged as an essential component influencing host immunity. Its composition and diversity can modulate immune maturation, affect resistance to pathogen colonization and even alter the quality of vaccine-induced responses. Although we still do not fully understand all these interactions, it is clear that host genetics and the microbiome work together in shaping the immune system.
This Special Issue explores how immunogenetics, microbiome dynamics, and cellular and humoral mechanisms integrate to define the immune response to infection and its clinical outcomes, opening new possibilities for personalized therapies and more effective vaccination strategies.
Dr. Juan Francisco Gutiérrez-Bautista
Dr. Antonio Sampedro
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- immunogenetics
- pathogen infection
- cytokine profiles
- T and B lymphocytes
- genetic polymorphisms
- host–microbiome interactions
- vaccine response
- immune regulation
- adaptive immunity
- innate immunity
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