Insights into Potential Avenues for Combating Microbial Threats: Unveiling Virulence Factors for Targeted Counteraction

Dear Colleagues,

The expression of virulence factors by pathogens plays a crucial role in their ability to cause disease. Over the past few decades, extensive research has been conducted to understand these factors, aiming to identify new targets for specific antimicrobial development. Notably, antimicrobial development focuses not only on eradicating microorganisms but also on hindering the expression of virulence—a pressing topic in the development of new antimicrobial therapies.

In the face of the escalating antimicrobial resistance crisis, there is a pressing need for novel methods to investigate virulence factors and complex interactions in this era of resistance.

Advancements in high-throughput technologies in in vitro models that simulate in vivo conditions, among other strategies, have expanded our knowledge of virulence. Furthermore, considering the intricate interactions between the host and the myriad of microorganisms that constitute the natural human microbiota, new therapeutic approaches that prioritize the stability of the human microbiota have emerged, with new biotherapeutics that may redefine antimicrobial strategies.

In this Special Issue, the interplay between the host, the natural microbiota, and antimicrobial resistance in the study of virulence will be approached, offering insights into potential avenues for combating microbial threats. We invite you to submit original research articles, reviews, clinical studies and case reports, communications, and short notes related to these issues.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Interplay between virulence and antimicrobial resistance;
• Biofilms as a target for new therapeutics;
• Targeting of toxin production;
• Microbiota understanding and manipulation;
• Omics approaches for the study of virulence and new potential targets;
• New models for study of host–pathogen interactions as targets;
• Virulence-focused therapeutics.

Dr. Susana Ferreira
Dr. ‪Joana Rolo‬
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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 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.

• virulence
• antimicrobial resistance
• host–pathogen
• new therapeutic approaches