From Acute Infection to Chronic Sequelae: A Research Trajectory in Viral Infections Disease Management
A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Pathogens".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 748
Special Issue Editors
Interests: COVID-19; long COVID-19; meningitis; endocarditis; sepsis
Interests: biopolymers; probiotics; microbiota; long COVID
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Viruses are also known to cause not only acute illnesses but also serious long-term consequences in patients. The progression from acute infection to post-viral sequelae has emerged as one of the most important frontiers in the management of infectious diseases. These post-acute infection syndromes (PAISs) constitute a significant healthcare challenge across a wide range of viral diseases; however, their pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Bridging this knowledge gap—from the initial pathogenesis of virus infection to the development of chronic consequences—is essential for improving patient care and informing public health policy.
Clinicians and scientists face increasing challenges in identifying and managing multi-system sequelae, which can manifest long after the resolution of the acute phase of infection. In response, new approaches are being designed, including longitudinal surveillance of survivors, biomarker identification, and multidisciplinary models of care, all of which assist in tracing and treating post-acute viral syndromes. This Special Issue aims to advance understanding of the pathway from acute infection to chronic sequelae and to provide guidelines that realize effective long-term intervention strategies for viral disease management.
Dr. Olga Adriana Caliman-Sturdza
Dr. Roxana Gheorghita
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 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
- viral pathogenesis
- post-acute infection syndromes
- chronic sequelae
- long-term outcomes
- disease management
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
