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Pathogens
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Biomarkers in Infectious Diseases
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Biomarkers in Infectious Diseases

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 3511

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yiu Wing (Jason) Kam

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan 215316, China
Interests: adaptive immune response; IgG class switching; epitope identification; virus-host interaction; biomarker identification; immunotherapy development; epitope-specific antibodies; vaccine candidates; infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Infectious diseases pose a significant public health challenge, thus enhancing our need for swift and precise diagnostic protocols that enable the administration of effective treatments. Biomarkers facilitate the early detection of infectious diseases and provide guidance regarding their treatment and prognostic assessment. Biomarkers could therefore enhance the identification, management, and application of therapeutic strategies for infectious illnesses. To realize their potential, we must address the challenges associated with biomarkers by performing rigorous research, enhancing innovation, and embedding these innovations into routine clinical practice. 

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for the dissemination of research regarding the application of biomarkers and their prospective contributions to the field. We aim to assemble a collection of research papers, insightful reviews, and pioneering studies that investigate the evolving role of biomarkers in comprehending and treating infectious diseases. 

We therefore invite you to submit recent research, perceptive reviews, or comprehensive investigations that focus on the investigation of novel biomarkers, cutting-edge diagnostic methodologies, and the impact of biomarkers on infectious disease science. The scope of this Special Issue includes the decoding of molecular signatures, the enhancement of diagnostic algorithms, and the invention of novel prognostic systems.

Dr. Yiu Wing (Jason) Kam
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • infectious diseases
  • immune response
  • diagnostic biomarker
  • prognostic biomarker
  • pathogen-specific biomarker
  • biomarker validation
  • biomarker-guided therapy

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 1108 KB  
Article
Associations of Biomarkers and Body Water with Dengue Status and Length of Hospital Stay: A Single-Center Observational Study
by Thang Van Dao, Binh Nhu Do, Minh Duc Pham, Duc Minh Cap, Kien Trung Nguyen and Tuyen Van Duong
Pathogens 2026, 15(5), 501; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15050501 - 6 May 2026
Viewed by 427
Abstract
Objectives: This study investigated the associations of biochemical and body water distribution parameters with dengue status, as well as their discriminatory ability, among hospitalized adults with febrile illnesses and evaluated whether dynamic changes in body water volumes were associated with length of hospital [...] Read more.
Objectives: This study investigated the associations of biochemical and body water distribution parameters with dengue status, as well as their discriminatory ability, among hospitalized adults with febrile illnesses and evaluated whether dynamic changes in body water volumes were associated with length of hospital stay (LOS) in dengue patients. Methods: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital involving 186 hospitalized adults (age ≥ 18 years) with fever onset ≤ 5 days and suspected dengue. Body water parameters were assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) using the InBody S10 body composition analyzer at admission (T1), defervescence (T2), and discharge (T3) in dengue patients and at admission only in other febrile illness (OFI) cases. Laboratory data and LOS were retrieved from the hospital information system. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the associations and interactions. Discriminative performance was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: The proportion of dengue cases was 55.9% (n = 104). Higher levels of lymphocytes, hematocrit, hemoglobin, AST, and ALT were associated with an increased likelihood of dengue, whereas elevated WBC counts, neutrophils, platelets, CRP, sodium, chloride, and the extracellular water-to-total body water ratio (ECW/TBW) were associated with a reduced likelihood of dengue. ROC analysis indicated that WBC showed the best diagnostic performance. In dengue patients, a greater increase in ECW volume from admission to defervescence was associated with a longer LOS in males, and ratio-based body water parameters showed longitudinal variation across dengue phases. Conclusions: Several hematologic, biochemical, and BIA-derived body water parameters were associated with dengue status. Among dengue patients, dynamic ECW changes were associated with longer LOS in males, and ratio-based fluid indices were more sensitive than absolute water volumes in reflecting fluid redistribution throughout the dengue course. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Infectious Diseases)
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14 pages, 826 KB  
Article
Assessment of IL-6 and IL-8 Levels and Other Bio Markers in Predicting Dengue Severity Across Serotypes
by Kumar Sivasubramanian, Rudrappan Raj Bharath, Leela Kakithakara Vajravelu, Madan Kumar D and Jayakrishna Pamarthi
Pathogens 2026, 15(4), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15040434 - 17 Apr 2026
Viewed by 747
Abstract
Background: Dengue fever is one of the most common mosquito-borne viral infections, with severe cases characterized by plasma leakage, hemorrhage, and multi-organ involvement. Identification of dengue serotypes and reliable biomarkers is essential for predicting disease progression and guiding timely interventions. Methods: This prospective [...] Read more.
Background: Dengue fever is one of the most common mosquito-borne viral infections, with severe cases characterized by plasma leakage, hemorrhage, and multi-organ involvement. Identification of dengue serotypes and reliable biomarkers is essential for predicting disease progression and guiding timely interventions. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at a super-speciality tertiary care hospital in southern India from July 2024 to July 2025. A total of 69 patients presenting with dengue warning signs were included in the study. Patients were categorized into the severe dengue group (n = 25) and non severe dengue group (n = 44). Clinical data, laboratory findings, dengue serotype, and serial serum samples collected on Days 1, 4, and 8 were analyzed to evaluate the predictive and monitoring efficacy of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Interleukin-8 (IL-8), and followed up till discharge. Results: Out of 69 dengue patients with warning signs, 32 dengue-positive patients were serotyped, which included DEN V-1 (31.3%), DEN V-2 (31.3%), DEN V-3 (15.6%), DEN V-4 (18.8%), and mixed DEN V-(2 + 3) (3.1%). Severe dengue patients exhibited a higher frequency of secondary dengue infection (IgG) than primary dengue infection (88% vs. 12%), with statistically significantly higher packed cell volume, hemoglobin levels, high AST levels, and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, as well as lower platelet counts and albumin levels. Platelet transfusion was given to 35 dengue patients, which had also resulted in significant length of stay in hospital in comparison to non-transfused patients. IL-6 and IL-8 levels were significantly elevated in severe dengue patients when compared to non-severe dengue patients on Day 1 and Day 4, followed by a decline on Day 8, corresponding with clinical recovery. However, the elevated IL-8 levels were observed to be significantly associated with longer hospital stays, indicating its potential role as an early predictor of disease progression. Conclusions: The observed co-circulation of multiple serotypes reflects the hyper-endemic pattern reported across India. Early measurement of these cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 helps distinguish severe from non-severe dengue among patients presenting with warning signs. IL-6 and IL-8 may have potential as biomarkers for disease severity. However their role in guiding platelet transfusion requires further investigation in non-severe cases and prioritizing timely management for those at higher risk of severe disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Infectious Diseases)
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14 pages, 554 KB  
Article
Systemic Inflammatory Indices (SII and SIRI) in 30-Day Mortality Risk Stratification for Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Study Alongside CURB-65 and PSI
by Orkun Eray Terzi, Gülgün Çetintaş Afşar, Nazlı Çetin and Seyhan Dülger
Pathogens 2025, 14(12), 1235; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14121235 - 3 Dec 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1435
Abstract
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, underscoring the need for accessible and cost-effective biomarkers to support early risk assessment. This retrospective study investigated the prognostic performance of two systemic inflammatory indices—the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) and the [...] Read more.
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, underscoring the need for accessible and cost-effective biomarkers to support early risk assessment. This retrospective study investigated the prognostic performance of two systemic inflammatory indices—the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) and the Systemic Inflammation Response Index (SIRI)—in 240 adults hospitalized with CAP between January and December 2024. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were applied to compare these indices with established severity scores, CURB-65 and the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI). Thirty-day mortality occurred in 15.4% of patients. Non-survivors exhibited significantly higher SII values (p = 0.043) and a trend toward increased SIRI levels (p = 0.072). Both indices showed weak but statistically significant positive correlations with conventional inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and procalcitonin. While CURB-65 and PSI retained superior discriminative ability, SII and SIRI provided only modest prognostic information and did not significantly improve mortality prediction beyond these scores. These findings indicate that simple, hematology-based indices reflecting systemic inflammation may offer limited but potentially clinically relevant adjunctive information when integrated with traditional clinical scoring systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Infectious Diseases)
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