Diagnosis, Immunopathogenesis and Control of Bacterial Infections

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Bacterial Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2025) | Viewed by 7672

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Head of Veterinary and Animal Science, SRUC Aberdeen Campus, Craibstone Estate, Ferguson Building, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, UK
Interests: innate immune responses to microbial infections; inflammation and immunomodulation; development of biomarkers of disease
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bacterial infections remain a significant challenge in both human and veterinary medicine. In a study published in 2019, it was reported that 33 bacterial pathogens were globally responsible for 7.7 million deaths out of a total of 13.7 million deaths due to infection. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and a dearth in the development of new antibiotics have posed a significant morbidity and mortality risk throughout the world, with an estimated 4.95 million deaths associated with AMR in 2019.

In veterinary medicine, bacterial infections in farmed animals not only seriously impact animal welfare but also cause economic loss and are a major source of zoonoses, as bacterial infections from production animals enter the human food chain. AMR being carried into the human food chain via production animals is also a major cause of AMR in human populations, and although the use of antibiotics as growth promoters is now outlawed in many major countries who consume and export meat, the prophylactic use of antibiotics is still employed in many of these countries.

A greater emphasis on the control of bacterial infections in production animals, using non-chemotherapeutic means, is, therefore, urgently required. Combined with this is a need for enhanced on-farm surveillance, early diagnosis, and a greater understanding of the immunopathogenesis of bacterial infections in farmed species. This Special Issue aims to focus on these aspects of bacterial infections, using economically important bacterial species which have global zoonotic significance as examples.

Prof. Dr. Neil Foster
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • bacterial infection
  • bacterial diseases
  • food chain
  • antimicrobial resistance

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 4002 KB  
Article
Genomic Insight into Vibrio Isolates from Fresh Raw Mussels and Ready-to-Eat Stuffed Mussels
by Artun Yibar, Muhammed Duman, Hilal Ay, Nihed Ajmi, Gorkem Tasci, Fatma Gurler, Sabire Guler, Danny Morick and Izzet Burcin Saticioglu
Pathogens 2025, 14(1), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14010052 - 10 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3294
Abstract
Consuming raw or undercooked mussels can lead to gastroenteritis and septicemia due to Vibrio contamination. This study analyzed the prevalence, density, species diversity, and molecular traits of Vibrio spp. in 48 fresh raw wild mussels (FRMs) and 48 ready-to-eat stuffed mussels (RTE-SMs) through [...] Read more.
Consuming raw or undercooked mussels can lead to gastroenteritis and septicemia due to Vibrio contamination. This study analyzed the prevalence, density, species diversity, and molecular traits of Vibrio spp. in 48 fresh raw wild mussels (FRMs) and 48 ready-to-eat stuffed mussels (RTE-SMs) through genome analysis, assessing health risks. The results showed Vibrio prevalence rates of 12.5% in FRMs and 4.2% in RTE-SMs, with V. alginolyticus as the most common species (46.7%). It was determined that the seasonal distribution of Vibrio spp. prevalence in the samples was higher in the summer months. The genome sizes of the Vibrio spp. ranged from approximately 3.9 to 6.1 Mb, with the GC contents varying between 41.9% and 50.4%. A total of 22 virulence factor (VF) classes and up to six antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were detected in different Vibrio species. The presence of nine different biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), 27 prophage regions, and eight CRISPR/Cas systems in 15 Vibrio strains provides information about their potential pathogenicity, survival strategies, and adaptation to different habitats. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the genomic diversity of Vibrio spp. isolated from FRM and RTE-SM samples, shedding light on the prevalence, pathogenicity, and toxicity mechanisms of Vibrio-induced gastroenteritis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis, Immunopathogenesis and Control of Bacterial Infections)
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Review

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21 pages, 959 KB  
Review
The Characteristics of Patients That Develop Severe Leptospirosis: A Scoping Review
by Patrick Rosengren, Liam Johnston, Ibrahim Ismail, Simon Smith and Josh Hanson
Pathogens 2025, 14(12), 1268; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14121268 - 10 Dec 2025
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Abstract
This scoping review of original literature published before 1 March 2025 examined the demographic and simple clinical and laboratory findings associated with the development of severe leptospirosis. The definition of severe leptospirosis varied in different studies, but for the purposes of this review [...] Read more.
This scoping review of original literature published before 1 March 2025 examined the demographic and simple clinical and laboratory findings associated with the development of severe leptospirosis. The definition of severe leptospirosis varied in different studies, but for the purposes of this review it included death or patients with a more complicated clinical course. There were 35 articles that satisfied the review’s inclusion criteria. Increasing age was associated with severe disease in 7 studies. Abnormal respiratory examination findings (18 studies), hypotension (11 studies), oliguria (8 studies), jaundice (7 studies) and altered mental status (4 studies) also helped identify high-risk patients. Abnormal laboratory tests—specifically the complete blood count (17 studies), measures of renal function (16 studies) and liver function (14 studies)—were also associated with severe disease. There was geographical heterogeneity in the clinical phenotype of severe disease, but the presence of hypotension, respiratory or renal involvement had prognostic utility in all regions. Simple bedside findings and basic laboratory tests can provide valuable clinical information in patients with leptospirosis. Integration of these indices into early risk stratification tools may facilitate recognition of the high-risk patient and expedite escalation of care in resource-limited settings where most cases of life-threatening leptospirosis are seen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis, Immunopathogenesis and Control of Bacterial Infections)
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28 pages, 2097 KB  
Review
The Human Archaeome: Commensals, Opportunists, or Emerging Pathogens?
by Douglas M. Ruden
Pathogens 2025, 14(11), 1111; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14111111 - 31 Oct 2025
Viewed by 772
Abstract
Archaea, one of the three domains of life, are increasingly recognized as consistent, though often underappreciated, members of the human microbiome, yet their roles in health and disease remain poorly understood. Unlike bacteria, no archaeal species have been conclusively identified as primary mammalian [...] Read more.
Archaea, one of the three domains of life, are increasingly recognized as consistent, though often underappreciated, members of the human microbiome, yet their roles in health and disease remain poorly understood. Unlike bacteria, no archaeal species have been conclusively identified as primary mammalian pathogens, but their widespread presence across diverse body sites suggests potential indirect contributions to host physiology and pathology. Current evidence is synthesized on archaeal diversity and habitat specificity across multiple human-associated sites, encompassing the gastrointestinal, aerodigestive, and urogenital tracts as well as the skin. Methanogens dominate the lower gastrointestinal tract (LGT), where they influence fermentation dynamics and methane production, while members of the class Nitrososphaeria are prevalent on the skin and upper aerodigestive tract (UAT), reflecting ecological specialization. Variability in archaeal composition across niches highlights possible links to disease processes: methanogens have been associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), obesity, and colorectal cancer (CRC); Methanobrevibacter oralis is enriched in periodontal disease; and archaea have been detected in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Although archaea lack canonical bacterial virulence factors, they may contribute indirectly through metabolic cross-feeding, immune modulation, synergy in polymicrobial infections, and alteration of host–microbiome network dynamics. This review explores the emerging concept of the human “archaeome”, evaluates current evidence for archaeal involvement in disease, and highlights emerging technologies, such as bacteria-MERFISH and multi-omics profiling, that enable translational applications including microbiome diagnostics, therapeutic targeting, and microbiome engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis, Immunopathogenesis and Control of Bacterial Infections)
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Other

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10 pages, 1352 KB  
Case Report
Invasive Streptococcus intermedius Infections in Children: Two Cases from a Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit in Italy
by Piero Veronese, Simone Cella, Alessandra Giacometti, Irene Lapetina, Valentina Maffini, Marco Pappalardo, Monica Rubini, Maria Beatrice Ruozi and Icilio Dodi
Pathogens 2024, 13(12), 1099; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13121099 (registering DOI) - 12 Dec 2024
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Abstract
In recent years, an increasing number of reports have described invasive infections caused by bacteria from Streptococcus anginosus group (SAGs). S. intermedius seems to be more related with pleuropulmonary infections and abscess of the brain and deep soft tissues, and it is more [...] Read more.
In recent years, an increasing number of reports have described invasive infections caused by bacteria from Streptococcus anginosus group (SAGs). S. intermedius seems to be more related with pleuropulmonary infections and abscess of the brain and deep soft tissues, and it is more likely to cause suppurative and non-bacteremic infections compared to other members of the same genus. We present two clinical cases of invasive S. intermedius infections in pediatric patients: a liver abscess case and a pansinusitis case associated with bilateral otomastoiditis and parapharyngeal abscess complicated by acute mediastinitis, thrombophlebitis of the cavernous sinus, and thrombosis of the cranial tract of the ipsilateral jugular vein. In both cases, prompt broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and operative drainage of the collections resulted in a good clinical response with full recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis, Immunopathogenesis and Control of Bacterial Infections)
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