Novel Concepts and Approaches in Neglected, Emerging and Re-Emerging Pathogens: From Environment to Patient

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Infectious diseases have an important impact on public health. For centuries, they have been identified as the main causes of death and sequelae and therefore still present growing challenges for health security and human progress. Over the past few decades, infectious diseases have been significantly correlated with socioeconomic, environmental and ecological factors. The risk of the growth of neglected, emerging and re-emerging pathogens is an even greater threat. Likewise, a close relationship and changes between human, animal and environmental health ("One Health" concept) significantly influence the transmission and distribution of pathogens. Studies of these infections reveal the evolutionary properties of pathogens and their dynamic relationships, quickly adaptation to new hosts due to high rates of multiplication, mutation and selection. Understanding the processes that lead to the emergence of new pathogens can help manage emerging epidemics. The growing risk of co-infections is a major threat to patient’s lives and impacts the health systems.  The particular combination of virulence factors, including microbial biofilms, may be a species specific effect which needs to be addressed at molecular level. Molecular tools help in designing newer therapies based on interferences with biofilm formation and thus countering clinical episodes of resistance. Therefore, as the emergence of an infection is a complex and multifactorial issue, a multidisciplinary approach is required.

There is a need for new tools for investigating pathogens, in order to study the host-parasite relationships, regarding their virulence, resistance development and identification. For this purpose, new molecular technologies have launched a new era in pathogen surveillance, using new generation sequencing techniques, implementation of mass spectrometry in microbiology, metagenomic analysis and determination of antimicrobial resistance. Along the same lines, the introduction of new antisense RNA and CRISPR methodologies have made it possible to know not only the functionality of several molecules that participate in host-pathogen interactions, but also to identify new targets to design antimicrobial strategies.

Given recent developments in this field, the purpose of this Topic Board is to highlight aspects related to the novel concepts in diagnostic, molecular, epidemiology, treatment, pathogenesis, etc. and approaches in neglected, emerging and re-emerging pathogens. Then, we examine the nature and scope of emerging and re-emerging microbial threats and consider methods for their control, as well as the dynamic interactions between rapidly evolving infectious agents and changes in the environment and host behavior that provide such agents with new favorable ecological niches.

This topic may be published in the form of comprehensive reviews, original studies, and novel perspectives that address aspects of basic, translational, and applied research to develop countermeasures advance, such as surveillance tools, diagnostic tests, vaccines, and therapeutics, as well as omics tools and advances in nanotechnology in diagnostic, therapeutic and microbial research, and rational drug and vaccine projects that can support research in all the above areas.

Prof. Dr. Maria José Soares Mendes Giannini
Prof. Dr. Angel Gonzalez Marin
Dr. Ana Marisa Fusco Almeida
Dr. Caroline Barcelos Costa-Orlandi
Dr. Marcia S.C. Melhem
Topic Editors

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Journal of Fungi jof	4.7	4.9	2015	18.4 Days	CHF 2600
Microbiology Research microbiolres	1.5	1.3	2010	16.6 Days	CHF 1600
Microorganisms microorganisms	4.5	6.4	2013	15.1 Days	CHF 2700
Viruses viruses	4.7	7.1	2009	13.8 Days	CHF 2600

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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All JoF Microbiology Research Microorganisms Viruses

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14 pages, 2062 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Generated Randomly and Selected Functionally? The Nature of Enterovirus Recombination

by Fadi G. Alnaji, Kirsten Bentley, Ashley Pearson, Andrew Woodman, Jonathan Moore, Helen Fox, Andrew J. Macadam and David J. Evans

Viruses 2022, 14(5), 916; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14050916 - 28 Apr 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2210

Abstract

Genetic recombination in RNA viruses is an important evolutionary mechanism. It contributes to population diversity, host/tissue adaptation, and compromises vaccine efficacy. Both the molecular mechanism and initial products of recombination are relatively poorly understood. We used an established poliovirus-based in vitro recombination assay [...] Read more.

Genetic recombination in RNA viruses is an important evolutionary mechanism. It contributes to population diversity, host/tissue adaptation, and compromises vaccine efficacy. Both the molecular mechanism and initial products of recombination are relatively poorly understood. We used an established poliovirus-based in vitro recombination assay to investigate the roles of sequence identity and RNA structure, implicated or inferred from an analysis of circulating recombinant viruses, in the process. In addition, we used next-generation sequencing to investigate the early products of recombination after cellular coinfection with different poliovirus serotypes. In independent studies, we find no evidence for a role for RNA identity or structure in determining recombination junctions location. Instead, genome function and fitness are of greater importance in determining the identity of recombinant progeny. These studies provide further insights into this important evolutionary mechanism and emphasize the critical nature of the selection process on a mixed virus population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Novel Concepts and Approaches in Neglected, Emerging and Re-Emerging Pathogens: From Environment to Patient)

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11 pages, 2356 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Inadvertent Selection of a Pathogenic Fungus Highlights Areas of Concern in Human Clinical Practices

by Justin L. Eagan, Breanne N. Steffan, Sébastien C. Ortiz, Milton T. Drott, Gustavo H. Goldman, Christina M. Hull, Nancy P. Keller and Rafael W. Bastos

J. Fungi 2022, 8(2), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8020157 - 05 Feb 2022

Viewed by 2034

Abstract

In studying the development of tolerance to common hospital cleaners (Oxivir^® and CaviCide™) in clinical isolate stocks of the emerging, multidrug-resistant yeast pathogen Candida auris, we selected for a cleaner-tolerant subpopulation of a more common nosocomial pathogen, Candida glabrata. Through [...] Read more.

In studying the development of tolerance to common hospital cleaners (Oxivir^® and CaviCide™) in clinical isolate stocks of the emerging, multidrug-resistant yeast pathogen Candida auris, we selected for a cleaner-tolerant subpopulation of a more common nosocomial pathogen, Candida glabrata. Through the purification of each species and subsequent competition and other analyses, we determined that C. glabrata is capable of readily dominating mixed populations of C. auris and C. glabrata when exposed to hospital cleaners. This result suggests that exposure to antimicrobial compounds can preferentially select for low-level, stress-tolerant fungal pathogens. These findings indicate that clinical disinfection practices could contribute to the selection of tolerant, pathogenic microbes that persist within healthcare settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Novel Concepts and Approaches in Neglected, Emerging and Re-Emerging Pathogens: From Environment to Patient)

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13 pages, 532 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Influence of Maternal Microbiome and Inflammatory Response in Preterm Birth: Recent Aspects of the Prevention of Preterm Birth

by Hee Young Cho, Sung Shin Shim, Hee Jin Park and Dong Hyun Cha

Microbiol. Res. 2022, 13(1), 1-13; https://doi.org/10.3390/microbiolres13010001 - 22 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4041

Abstract

Preterm birth (PTB) is a global health issue and one of the most challenging problems affecting 12.9 million births worldwide. PTB is a multi-etiological disease and remains incompletely understood. The major cause of PTB is infection or inflammation and disruption of the vaginal [...] Read more.

Preterm birth (PTB) is a global health issue and one of the most challenging problems affecting 12.9 million births worldwide. PTB is a multi-etiological disease and remains incompletely understood. The major cause of PTB is infection or inflammation and disruption of the vaginal microbiome, which affects the maternal immunologic response leading to PTB. The vaginal microbiome composition changes by a shift in the community are typically dominated by Lactobacillus during pregnancy. There are complex interactions between the maternal microbiome in pregnancy and the development of PTB, therefore, researchers have struggled to connect the maternal microbiome with the dysregulation of the maternal immune response in cases of PTB. The host microbiome affects alterations of the microorganisms with external stimuli such as disease, nutrition, immunity, and behavior. In this review, we discuss the complex association between the maternal microbiome and the risk of PTB and also focus on recent aspects of the prevention of PTB. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Novel Concepts and Approaches in Neglected, Emerging and Re-Emerging Pathogens: From Environment to Patient)

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18 pages, 947 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Chronic Diseases Associated with Malassezia Yeast

by Abdourahim Abdillah and Stéphane Ranque

J. Fungi 2021, 7(10), 855; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7100855 - 12 Oct 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5127

Abstract

Malassezia are a lipid-dependent basidiomycetous yeast of the normal skin microbiome, although Malassezia DNA has been recently detected in other body sites and has been associated with certain chronic human diseases. This new perspective raises many questions. Are these yeasts truly present in [...] Read more.

Malassezia are a lipid-dependent basidiomycetous yeast of the normal skin microbiome, although Malassezia DNA has been recently detected in other body sites and has been associated with certain chronic human diseases. This new perspective raises many questions. Are these yeasts truly present in the investigated body site or were they contaminated by other body sites, adjacent or not? Does this DNA contamination come from living or dead yeast? If these yeasts are alive, do they belong to the resident mycobiota or are they transient colonizers which are not permanently established within these niches? Finally, are these yeasts associated with certain chronic diseases or not? In an attempt to shed light on this knowledge gap, we critically reviewed the 31 published studies focusing on the association of Malassezia spp. with chronic human diseases, including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), asthma, cystic fibrosis (CF), HIV infection, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer (CRC), and neurodegenerative diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Novel Concepts and Approaches in Neglected, Emerging and Re-Emerging Pathogens: From Environment to Patient)

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