Bacterial Toxins and Immune System

Dear Colleagues,

Bacterial toxin release and its complex interactions with the immune system are overlooked problems in the human healthcare system. A key concern is that while antibiotics are essential for treating bacterial infections, certain classes can paradoxically trigger the release of potent toxins, worsening disease progression and contributing to toxic shock syndromes caused by pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Escherichia coli. Despite advances in antimicrobial therapies, effective therapeutic options for neutralizing these molecules once in systemic circulation remain scarce. Additionally, growing evidence suggests that some bacterial toxins, though not directly toxic, can modulate host–pathogen interactions in ways that promote bacterial survival. These factors may increase antibiotic tolerance and have been linked to higher relapse rates in chronic or recurrent infections.

This Special Issue focuses on the complex interplay between bacterial toxins and the immune system, highlighting both classical cytotoxic effects and emerging roles in infection persistence. It invites contributions that investigate toxin-mediated immune modulation, mechanisms of antibiotic-induced toxin release, and novel strategies for therapeutic intervention.

Dr. Itziar Chapartegui-González
Prof. Dr. Holger Barth
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 double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins 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 2700 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.