Porcine/Farm Animal Respiratory Pathogens: Pathogenesis, Diagnostics and Antimicrobial Resistance

Dear Colleagues,

Respiratory diseases remain among the most significant health and economic challenges in modern pig and farm animal production systems. A complex interplay between viral, bacterial, and environmental factors drives the emergence, persistence, and re-emergence of respiratory pathogens, often resulting in multifactorial disease syndromes. In recent decades, intensive farming practices, global animal movements, and evolving production systems have further facilitated the spread, genetic diversification, and adaptation of pathogens such as PRRSV, influenza A virus, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, and numerous opportunistic agents.

At the same time, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an escalating threat to both animal health and public health, complicating treatment strategies and emphasizing the need for prudent antimicrobial use. Advances in molecular diagnostics, on-farm surveillance tools, immunopathology, and pathogen genomics now offer unprecedented opportunities to understand disease mechanisms, refine diagnostic accuracy, and guide targeted interventions.

This Special Issue aims to gather high-quality research and reviews that deepen our understanding of pathogenesis, improve diagnostic workflows, and explore emerging strategies to monitor and mitigate AMR in porcine and farm-animal respiratory pathogens. By integrating insights from pathology, microbiology, epidemiology, and precision livestock technologies, we hope to contribute to evidence-based solutions for healthier herds and more sustainable production systems.

Dr. Andrei Ungur
Dr. Levon Abrahamyan
Guest Editors

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