Infectious Diseases in Pediatric Populations: Clinical Challenges and Emerging Perspectives
A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 41
Special Issue Editors
Interests: paediatric infectious diseases; paediatric neurology; neonatology; paediatric pharmacology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
2. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, AOU Policlinico G. Rodolico San Marco, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: paediatric infectious diseases; paediatric neurology; neonatology; paediatric pharmacology
Interests: paediatric infectious diseases; paediatric neurology; neonatology; paediatric pharmacology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Infectious diseases remain a major global health concern in pediatric populations, especially in infants and young children with developing immune systems. While clinical manifestations, diagnostic challenges, and therapeutic strategies are continuously evolving, there is increasing interest in understanding the molecular and immunological dynamics of infections in children, as well as the potential long-term consequences, including post-infectious syndromes and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
This Special Issue of Pathogens aims to bring together original research and reviews that focus on infectious diseases in neonates, infants, and children, with a particular emphasis on the following topics:
- Clinical presentations, diagnosis, and treatment of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections;
- Host–pathogen interactions and the role of the developing immune system;
- Molecular and cellular mechanisms driving infection progression or resolution;
- Emerging pathogens and changing patterns of pathogen transmission in pediatric cohorts;
- Post-infectious complications, including post-COVID-19 syndromes, post-infectious autoimmune phenomena, chronic inflammation, and neurodevelopmental impairments.
We especially encourage contributions that explore the pathogen-induced modulation of immune responses, cellular signaling, and host adaptation in pediatric hosts, as well as those that provide insight into vaccine development, preventive strategies, clinical presentations, and diagnosis, and long-term follow-up studies on children affected by infectious diseases.
Both experimental and clinical studies are welcome, as well as case series, systematic reviews, and conceptual articles offering new hypotheses and future directions. This Special Issue will offer a multidisciplinary platform to deepen our understanding of pediatric infections and promote more precise, age-appropriate interventions.
Dr. Piero Pavone
Dr. Roberta Leonardi
Dr. Manuela Lo Bianco
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- pediatric infectious diseases and immune responses
- post-infectious syndromes
- diagnosis and treatment of pediatric infectious diseases
- pediatric microbiome
- viral, fungal, and bacterial infections in children
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