Dear Colleagues,

The topic of microbial reservoirs and dispersal mechanisms provides a publication platform to consolidate research on the spatial and temporal dispersal of microbes. It encompasses man-made objects, as well as biological vectors, that facilitate microbial transmission around industrial facilities and within natural settings. It includes the characterization of reservoirs that sustain microbial organisms and the interactions that enable their dissemination.

For example, there is a dearth of knowledge concerning the viability of pathogens on various surface types. The spread of pathogens in the environment can occur by many routes, including by mechanical means, such as by vehicles, equipment and containers moving between production facilities or natural environments.  Dispersal can be facilitated by biological organisms, such as flies, beetles, cockroaches, small mammals, etc., found inhabiting hospitals, restaurants, and livestock, poultry, insect protein and crop production facilities. Additionally, the production and environmental elements such as litter, soils, decomposing carrion, plant and food wastes can harbor harmful and beneficial microbial organisms and act as reservoirs that sustain microbial organisms until spread by other means. This is an extremely important topic as one must understand the mechanisms of dispersal in order to mitigate disease outbreaks or enhance beneficial organisms. It should be of particular interest to health and regulatory individuals as well as herd health/state veterinarians and epidemiologists, forensic scientists, producers and biologists. It includes topics such as wildlife – urban wildlife interface, pollution; domestic animals – interactions in the household; agricultural – growth, processing, retail, wastes; urban – restaurants, hospitals, household; industrial – production, retail, sludge/reclamation.

Dr. Tawni L. Crippen
Dr. Heather Jordan
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. Microorganisms 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 2700 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.

• harmful and beneficial microbial organisms
• spatial and temporal dispersal
• environmental reservoirs
• surface viability
• insect-microbe interactions
• biological vectoring