Infectious Disease of Domestic Animals: Epidemiology and Pathogenesis
A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 4
Special Issue Editors
Interests: infectious zoonotic diseases
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Domestic animals play a central role in global food security, public health, and socioeconomic stability, yet they remain continually threatened by a wide spectrum of infectious diseases, including zoonoses with the potential to spill over to human populations. These diseases vary widely in transmission dynamics, pathogenic mechanisms, host range, and environmental persistence, often at the human–animal–environment interface. Despite major advances in veterinary science, the continued emergence, re-emergence, and geographic expansion of infectious agents highlight the need for deeper, integrative research on both epidemiology and pathogenesis, as well as their epidemiological management. This Special Issue, ‘Infectious Disease of Domestic Animals: Epidemiology and Pathogenesis’, aims to bring together cutting-edge studies that advance our understanding of how pathogens spread within animal populations and how they cause disease at the molecular, cellular, and systemic levels.
The focus of this issue is to characterize the epidemiological patterns of infectious diseases across diverse domestic species, including companion animals, livestock, and working animals, while also elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms that determine virulence, host susceptibility, immune evasion, and disease outcomes. Emphasis is placed on zoonotic pathogens and their epidemiological management, including surveillance, risk assessment, and intervention strategies. Equally important is the integration of these epidemiological and mechanistic perspectives within a One Health framework that recognizes the interconnectedness of animal, human, and environmental health, to support improved diagnostics, surveillance systems, control measures, and vaccine strategies. By bridging epidemiology and pathogenesis, this Special Issue aims to foster interdisciplinary insight that is essential for understanding and addressing complex host–pathogen–environment interactions.
In relation to existing literature, this Special Issue will serve as a valuable supplement by highlighting emerging pathogens, newly recognized disease syndromes, and innovative tools, from molecular epidemiology and genomic surveillance to experimental infection models and immunopathological analyses. While numerous studies have examined individual pathogens or specific animal species, relatively few publications synthesize epidemiological trends with mechanistic insights in ways that inform zoonotic disease prevention and control. This issue aims to fill that gap by encouraging contributions that link field observations with laboratory findings, address drivers of transmission (including climate change, trade, and husbandry practices), and explore the translational potential of pathogenesis research within One Health-oriented disease management strategies.
We invite submissions in the form of original research articles, reviews, and short communications covering all aspects of infectious disease epidemiology and pathogenesis in domestic animals. Contributions spanning ecology, genomics, immunology, diagnostics, host–pathogen interactions, public health relevance, and vaccine development are particularly welcome.
Dr. Sergio Santos-Silva
Dr. João Mesquita
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
- domestic animals
- infectious diseases
- epidemiology
- pathogenesis
- zoonoses
- surveillance
- detection
- prevention
- emerging pathogens
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