Characteristics of Bacteria Colonizing Animals in the Light of the "One Health" Concept
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 444
Special Issue Editor
Interests: veterinary microbiology; bacteriology; antimicrobial susceptibility; probiotics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
“One Health” is an integrated unifying approach that aims to achieve optimal health outcomes while recognizing the interconnectedness of people, animals, plants and their shared environment. The assumptions of this concept are close to microbiologists who understand the role microorganisms play in human and animal health. Therefore, there is a constant need to deepen knowledge about bacteria inhabiting animals, both pathogenic and non-pathogenic. This is particularly important in times of intensification of animal production and the resulting greater susceptibility of animals to diseases, including those caused by bacteria. Controlling bacterial infections in animals involves the use of antimicrobial substances, which in turn contributes to the development of drug resistance in bacteria. Resistant strains spread in the natural environment and may be transmitted to humans and other animals through direct contact or the food chain. Of particular concern are multidrug-resistant zoonotic pathogens, which pose a global threat, causing infections that are difficult to treat and can even lead to death. However, the source of resistance genes may also be non-pathogenic bacteria colonizing the mucous membranes of animals. Monitoring the occurrence of resistant bacterial strains in animals, combined with elucidating resistance mechanisms and transmission routes, is the basis for developing preventive measures. The second important issue of the "One Health" concept is improving the health of animals and controlling their bacterial infections through the use of alternative methods to antibiotics and chemotherapeutics. Probiotics, postbiotics, bacteriophages and natural substances other than antibiotics are becoming more and more common in animal breeding. We welcome manuscripts on the comprehensive phenotypic and genotypic characterization of bacteria from livestock, companion and wild animals, as well as from food of animal origin, with a special focus on zoonotic pathogens. We will pay attention to studies on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacteria and their mechanisms of resistance and virulence, and horizontal transfer of resistance genes. Work on natural and safe methods of combating pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria will also be welcomed, including research on the characterization of potential probiotic strains of animal origin. Manuscripts concerning the following subtopics are especially encouraged:
- Zoonotic bacteria – prevalence, phenotypic and genotypic characteristics;
- Antimicrobial resistance - resistance mechanisms and the molecular environment of resistance genes (plasmids, transposons and other integrative conjugative genetic elements);
- Natural animal microflora as a source and vector of resistance genes;
- Animal – human transmission;
- Bacterial virulence traits, pathogen adaptation;
- In-depth analysis of bacterial characteristics obtained by whole-genome sequencing (WGS)
- Phylogenetic relationship between bacteria isolated from animals and humans;
- Probiotics - characteristics of new probiotic strains isolated from animals;
- Alternative methods of combating pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria found in animals.
Dr. Marta Dec
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- zoonotic bacteria
- antimicrobial resistance
- bacterial virulence traits
- pathogen adaptation
- whole-genome sequencing
- probiotics
