Pathogens MDPI

🎉 We are delighted to announce that Pathogens (ISSN: 2076-0817) has received a heightened #CiteScore of 6.4! CiteScore offers transparent metrics that facilitate informed publishing strategies, library collection development, and the benchmarking of journal performance. It stands alongside SNIP and SJR as a key citation metric, providing an up-to-date view of a journal's impact. This accomplishment reflects the outstanding performance, support, and dedication of our editors, reviewers, authors, and readers. Pathogens' CiteScore rankings are as follows: 📌 Q2 (16 out of 61) in "General Immunology and Microbiology" 📌 Q2 (102 out of 344) in "Infectious Diseases" 📌 Q2 (53 out of 140) in "Microbiology (medical)" 📌 Q2 (90 out of 233) in "Immunology and Allergy" 📌 Q2 (191 out of 410) in "Molecular Biology" For more journal statistics, please visit: 📎 https://lnkd.in/giTgWZ2i Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the journal's success! 🤝

MDPI is pleased to invite nominations for the prestigious "Tu Youyou Award," established in 2016 to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of Professor Tu Youyou. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015, Professor Tu's groundbreaking discovery of artemisinin has revolutionized malaria treatment, saving millions of lives globally. 🌍 In honor of her remarkable contributions, this award seeks to recognize exceptional scholars who have made significant advancements in natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. ✅The winner(s) will be awarded a total of 100,000 CHF prize money. ✅Scientists with outstanding achievements in natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry are eligible for nomination. ✅Only nominations from Research Institutions, Universities and Academic Societies will be accepted. Personal nominations will not. Join us in celebrating and continuing the legacy of Professor Tu Youyou by nominating distinguished researchers who have made impactful contributions to the field. Together, let’s honor those who push the boundaries of science and contribute to global health advancements. For more information on the nomination process and deadlines, please visit: https://brnw.ch/21wLAMI #MDPI #TuYouyouAward #MDPIAwards #NaturalProductsChemistry #MedicinalChemistry #ScientificExcellence #GlobalHealth #NobelPrize #Artemisinin #MalariaResearch #InnovationInScience

Hi all, good opportunity to share science on zoonoses and emerging pathogens at @Pathogens_MDPI : ***Ecology and Evolution of Viral Pathogens: From Wildlife to Human Infections*** Please follow the link for detailed info: https://lnkd.in/dgTmukSt

📢 Meet Us at the 18th Congress of the International Union of Microbiological Societies, 23–25 October 2024, Florence, Italy 📌 For more info: https://lnkd.in/gcjwid7g #IUMS2024 IUMS - International Union of Microbiological Societies MDPI will be attending the 18th Congress of the International Union of Microbiological Societies held in Florence, Italy, from 23 to 25 October 2024. IUMS 2024 aims to connect medical and non-medical microbiologists from various disciplines and promote the discussion of “Microorganisms for Sustainable Solutions: Environmental and Clinical Implementations”. The conference will invite well-known scholars in related fields to present reports on bacteriology and applied microbiology, virology, and mycology and eukaryotic microbiology. From environmental remediation to sustainable agriculture, microbiology is crucial in transforming the way we interact with our world. Thus, IUMS 2024 will provide a platform for exploring the profound ways in which microbiology can contribute to preserving the environment.

#callforpaper 📢 #Chagas Disease: Celebrating the 115th Anniversary of the Discovery of #Trypanosoma cruzi 👨🎓 Guest Editor: Michel Tibayrenc ⏰ Deadline: 31 December 2024 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g8R5bkHg It is my pleasure to introduce this Special Issue on Chagas disease, celebrating the 115th anniversary of the discovery of its causative agent. Our knowledge on the disease has made substantial progress in the last 20 years thanks to the impressive development of modern technologies ranging from genomics to megacomputing and artificial intelligence (AI). However, this should not occult the fact that the spread of Chagas disease is chiefly due to socioeconomical factors (poor habitats, sanitary education, access to health systems, etc.). This Special Issue will therefore keep a balance between advanced technology and socioecology. Considering the considerable role played by Latin American scientists, I am very happy to welcome the contribution of many of them in this Special Issue. My hope is that it will constitute a historical landmark in continuing research on this disease, which still poses a considerable public health challenge.

#editorchoice 📢 Recent Insights into the Role of B Cells in Chronic #Hepatitis B and C Infections 👨🎓 by Zgjim Osmani and André Boonstra 🔗 Full article: https://lnkd.in/gGAn8Hfj Chronic viral hepatitis infections, caused by the hepatitis B or C virus, are a major global health problem causing an estimated one million deaths each year. Immunological studies have classically focused on T cells, while B cells have largely been neglected. Emerging evidence, however, highlights a role for B cells in the immunopathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B and C infections. B cell responses appear to be altered across different clinical phases of chronic #HBV infection and across stages of disease in chronic #HCV infection. These B cell responses show signs of a more activated state with a simultaneous enrichment of phenotypically exhausted atypical memory B cells. Despite the fact that studies show an activating B cell signature in chronic viral hepatitis infection, antibody responses to HBsAg remain impaired in chronic HBV infection, and glycoprotein E2-specific neutralizing antibody responses remain delayed in the acute phase of HCV infection. At the same time, studies have reported that a subset of HBV- and HCV-specific B cells exhibit an exhausted phenotype. This may, at least in part, explain why antibody responses in chronic HBV and HCV patients are suboptimal. Here, we summarize recent findings and discuss upcoming research questions while looking forward to how new single-cell technologies could provide novel insights into the role of B cells in chronic viral hepatitis infections.

📢 The #SarcopticMange in Maned #Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus): Mapping an #EmergingDisease in the Largest South American #Canid 👨🎓 by Flávia Fiori et al. 🔗 Full article: https://lnkd.in/gDVvx3xG The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest South American canid. In Brazil, as in other countries, it is considered an endangered species. Habitat loss, landscape changes, hunting, and roadkill are the main threats to this species. In addition, invasive diseases of domestic animals are considered to be an emerging threat to the maned wolf, where parasitic diseases are relevant. Sarcoptic mange is a skin disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. This disease is currently almost globally distributed, with a remarkable host diversity. In Brazil, reports of sarcoptic mange in wildlife include several species, both wild and captive. However, the impact of this disease on wildlife is unknown. At the time of writing, there is only one published report of sarcoptic mange in maned wolves. This study sheds light on the occurrence of sarcoptic mange in free-ranging maned wolves in their natural range. A total of 52 cases (suspected and confirmed) of sarcoptic mange were identified through social media review, camera trapping, chemical immobilization and sample collection. These cases were distributed in southeastern Brazil, in the states of São Paulo (n = 34), Minas Gerais (n = 17), and Rio de Janeiro (n = 1), demonstrating a rapid and widespread spread of this disease, although it still only occurs in part of the species’ range. We expect that these results will help to subsidize future actions relevant to the control of this emerging disease. 👉 This article belongs to the Special Issue: Emerging Infections in Domestic Animals https://lnkd.in/gQpn5hF5

#editorchoice 📢 #Xylem Embolism and Pathogens: Can the Vessel Anatomy of Woody Plants Contribute to #Xylella fastidiosa Resistance? 👨🎓 by Giambattista Carluccio et al. 🔗 Full article: https://lnkd.in/gWpJ7-k3 The maintenance of an intact water column in the xylem lumen several meters above the ground is essential for #woodyplant viability. In fact, abiotic and biotic factors can lead to the formation of emboli in the xylem, interrupting sap flow and causing consequences on the health status of the plant. Anyway, the tendency of plants to develop emboli depends on the intrinsic features of the xylem, while the cyto-histological structure of the xylem plays a role in resistance to vascular pathogens, as in the case of the pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. Analysis of the scientific literature suggests that on grapevine and olive, some xylem features can determine plant tolerance to vascular pathogens. However, the same trend was not reported in citrus, indicating that X. fastidiosa interactions with host plants differ by species. Unfortunately, studies in this area are still limited, with few explaining inter-cultivar insights. Thus, in a global context seriously threatened by X. fastidiosa, a deeper understanding of the relationship between the physical and mechanical characteristics of the xylem and resistance to stresses can be useful for selecting cultivars that may be more resistant to environmental changes, such as drought and vascular pathogens, as a way to preserve agricultural productions and ecosystems.

#editorchoice 📢 An Overview of #Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Angiostrongylidae), an Emerging Cause of Human #Angiostrongylosis on the Indian Subcontinent 👨🎓 by Divakaran Pandian, Tomáš Najer, and David Modrý 🔗 Full article: https://lnkd.in/gGpiEBdV Human angiostrongylosis is an emerging zoonosis caused by the larvae of three species of metastrongyloid nematodes of the genus Angiostrongylus, with Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Chen, 1935) being dominant across the world. Its obligatory heteroxenous life cycle includes rats as definitive hosts, mollusks as intermediate hosts, and amphibians and reptiles as paratenic hosts. In humans, the infection manifests as Angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis (AEM) or ocular form. Since there is no comprehensive study on the disease in the Indian subcontinent, our study aims at the growing incidence of angiostrongylosis in humans, alongside its clinical course and possible causes. A systematic literature search revealed 28 reports of 45 human cases from 1966 to 2022; eosinophilic meningitis accounted for 33 cases (75.5%), 12 cases were reported as ocular, 1 case was combined, and 1 case was unspecified. The presumed source of infection was reported in 5 cases only. Importantly, 22 AEM patients reported a history of eating raw monitor lizard (Varanus spp.) tissues in the past. As apex predators, monitor lizards accumulate high numbers of L3 responsible for acute illness in humans. For ocular cases, the source was not identified. Most cases were diagnosed based on nematode findings and clinical pathology (primarily eosinophilia in the cerebrospinal fluid). Only two cases were confirmed to be A. cantonensis, one by immunoblot and the other by q-PCR. Cases of angiostrongylosis have been reported in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Telangana, and West Bengal. With a population of more than 1.4 billion, India is one of the least studied areas for A. cantonensis. It is likely that many cases remain undetected/unreported. Since most cases have been reported from the state of Kerala, further research may focus on this region. Gastropods, amphibians, and reptiles are commonly consumed in India; however, typical preparation methods involve cooking, which kills the nematode larvae. In addition to studying rodent and mollusk hosts, monitor lizards can be used as effective sentinels. Sequence data are urgently needed to answer the question of the identity of Angiostrongylus-like metastrongylid nematodes isolated from all types of hosts. DNA-based diagnostic methods such as q-PCR and LAMP should be included in clinical diagnosis of suspected cases and in studies of genetic diversity and species identity of nematodes tentatively identified as A. cantonensis. 👉 This article belongs to the Special Issue: Rat #Lungworm Disease https://lnkd.in/gFPbA7Rj

📢 #Virulence Factors of #Mycobacterium #tuberculosis as Modulators of Cell Death Mechanisms 👨🎓 by Lucero A. Ramon-Luing et al. 🔗 Full article: https://lnkd.in/gX3AsWBu Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) modulates diverse cell death pathways to escape the host immune responses and favor its dissemination, a complex process of interest in pathogenesis-related studies. The main virulence factors of Mtb that alter cell death pathways are classified according to their origin as either non-protein (for instance, lipomannan) or protein (such as the PE family and ESX secretion system). The 38 kDa lipoprotein, ESAT-6 (early antigen-secreted protein 6 kDa), and another secreted protein, tuberculosis necrotizing toxin (TNT), induces necroptosis, thereby allowing mycobacteria to survive inside the cell. The inhibition of pyroptosis by blocking inflammasome activation by Zmp1 and PknF is another pathway that aids the intracellular replication of Mtb. Autophagy inhibition is another mechanism that allows Mtb to escape the immune response. The enhanced intracellular survival (Eis) protein, other proteins, such as ESX-1, SecA2, SapM, PE6, and certain microRNAs, also facilitate Mtb host immune escape process. In summary, Mtb affects the microenvironment of cell death to avoid an effective immune response and facilitate its spread. A thorough study of these pathways would help identify therapeutic targets to prevent the survival of mycobacteria in the host.