Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
0.8
2.9
Journals
Diseases
Special Issues
Infectious Disease Epidemiology 2024
share announcement

Infectious Disease Epidemiology 2024

A special issue of Diseases (ISSN 2079-9721). This special issue belongs to the section "Infectious Disease".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 March 2025 | Viewed by 6763

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Amal Mitra

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Public Health, Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX, USA
Interests: public health; mental health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Fernando Monroy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
Interests: microbiology; immunology; infectious diseases; host-pathogen interactions; genomics; proteomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Many developing countries are burdened with an influx of infectious diseases, including diarrhea, malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Although vaccines provide protection against most infectious diseases, newer and emerging illnesses such as Ebola fever, SERS coronavirus disease, MARS, Nipah virus, Hantavirus, Dengue fever, Chikungunya, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, West Nile virus infection, etc., continue to represent prominent public health threats worldwide. Climate change and global warming are increasing the prevalence of many vector-borne diseases, including malaria, Dengue fever, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, and trypanosomiasis. Over time, many infectious organisms have adapted to the drugs designed to kill them, developing resistance to commonly used antimicrobials, fueled by improper medication or self-medication. There is a growing need to identify at-risk populations, social and environmental factors, and economic burdens and to prioritize resources accordingly. Mathematical modeling and GIS are also important tools in the prediction of infectious diseases, the identification of at-risk populations, and the evaluation of interventions.

For this Special Issue on “Infectious Disease Epidemiology”, we are seeking original articles and systematic reviews related to the global burden of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, emerging diseases, social aspects and the economic burden of diseases, laboratory identification, clinical trials, community interventions, GIS application, and mathematical models. Depending on interest, this Special Issue may also be published as a physical book; free copies will be distributed to the contributing authors upon publication.

Prof. Dr. Amal K. Mitra
Prof. Dr. Fernando Monroy
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. Diseases 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 1800 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.

Keywords

  • infectious diseases
  • global burden
  • disability-adjusted life years (DALY)
  • risk factors
  • community interventions
  • clinical trials
  • laboratory studies
  • drug resistance
  • GIS applications
  • cost-effective analysis
  • vaccine
  • mathematical models
  • social epidemiology

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

8 pages, 464 KiB  
Article
The Incidence of Clostridioides difficile Infection in the Post-COVID-19 Era in a Hospital in Northern Greece
by Maria Terzaki, Dimitrios Kouroupis, Charalampos Zarras, Dimitrios Molyvas, Chrysi Michailidou, Panagiotis Pateinakis, Konstantina Mpani, Prodromos Soukiouroglou, Eleftheria Paida, Elisavet Simoulidou, Sofia Chatzimichailidou, Konstantinos Petidis and Athina Pyrpasopoulou
Diseases 2024, 12(8), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases12080190 - 20 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1110
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has evolved to be the most significant cause of healthcare-associated diarrhoea and one of the leading representatives of healthcare-associated infections, with a high associated mortality. The aim of this retrospective study was to record the incidence rates and the [...] Read more.
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has evolved to be the most significant cause of healthcare-associated diarrhoea and one of the leading representatives of healthcare-associated infections, with a high associated mortality. The aim of this retrospective study was to record the incidence rates and the epidemiological and clinical features of CDI in a large tertiary hospital of northern Greece in the years 2022-2023. All patients with CDI-compatible symptomatology and a positive CDI diagnostic test (GDH—glutamate dehydrogenase and toxin-positive FIA—Fluorescent Immuno-chromatography—SD Biosensor, and/or film array) were included (104 from a total of 4560 admitted patients). Their demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were recorded and analysed. The incidence of CDI in admitted patients was found to be higher than previous reports in the geographical area, reaching 54.6/10,000 patient days and following a rising trend over the course of the study. Thirty-day mortality was high (39.4%), potentially related to new emerging hypervirulent C. difficile strains. In view of the high prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms in the region, and the significant mortality associated with this infection, these findings particularly point to the need for the implementation of organized surveillance and infection prevention protocols. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Disease Epidemiology 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1764 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Chikungunya Incidence in Brazil and the Impact of Social Vulnerability: A Population-Based and Ecological Study
by Thiago de Jesus Santos, Karina Conceição Gomes Machado de Araújo, Marco Aurélio de Oliveira Góes, Marcio Bezerra-Santos, Caíque Jordan Nunes Ribeiro, Allan Dantas dos Santos, Emerson Lucas Silva Camargo, Regina Claudia Silva Souza, Isabel Amélia Costa Mendes, Alvaro Francisco Lopes de Sousa and Damião da Conceição Araújo
Diseases 2024, 12(7), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases12070135 - 27 Jun 2024
Viewed by 914
Abstract
To assess the temporal and spatial dynamics of chikungunya incidence and its association with social vulnerability indicators in Brazil, an ecological and population-based study was conducted herein, with confirmed cases of chikungunya and based on clinical and clinical–epidemiological criteria from 2017 to 2023. [...] Read more.
To assess the temporal and spatial dynamics of chikungunya incidence and its association with social vulnerability indicators in Brazil, an ecological and population-based study was conducted herein, with confirmed cases of chikungunya and based on clinical and clinical–epidemiological criteria from 2017 to 2023. Data were obtained from the Notifiable Diseases Information System and social vulnerability indicators were extracted from the official platform of the United Nations Development Program and the Social Vulnerability Atlas. Temporal, spatial, and global spatial regression models were employed. The temporal trend showed that in 2017, the incidence increased by 1.9%, and this trend decreased from 2020 to 2021 (−0.93%). The spatial distribution showed heterogeneity and positive spatial autocorrelation (I: 0.71; p < 0.001) in chikungunya cases in Brazil. Also, the high-risk areas for the disease were concentrated in the northeast and north regions. The social vulnerability indicators associated with the outcome were those related to income, education, and housing conditions. Our analyses demonstrate that chikungunya continues to be a serious health concern in Brazil, but specially in the northeast and north regions. Lastly, mapping risk areas can provide evidence for the development of public health strategies and disease control in endemic regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Disease Epidemiology 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 603 KiB  
Article
Frequency of the Main Human Leukocyte Antigen A, B, DR, and DQ Loci Known to Be Associated with the Clearance or Persistence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in a Healthy Population from the Southern Region of Morocco: A Preliminary Study
by Safa Machraoui, Khaoula Errafii, Ider Oujamaa, Moulay Yassine Belghali, Abdelmalek Hakmaoui, Saad Lamjadli, Fatima Ezzohra Eddehbi, Ikram Brahim, Yasmine Haida and Brahim Admou
Diseases 2024, 12(5), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases12050106 - 16 May 2024
Viewed by 1511
Abstract
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection represents a significant global health challenge, with its natural course largely influenced by the host’s immune response. Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules, particularly HLA class I and II, play a crucial role in the adaptive immune response against [...] Read more.
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection represents a significant global health challenge, with its natural course largely influenced by the host’s immune response. Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules, particularly HLA class I and II, play a crucial role in the adaptive immune response against HCV. The polymorphism of HLA molecules contributes to the variability in immune response, affecting the outcomes of HCV infection. This study aims to investigate the frequency of HLA A, B, DR, and DQ alleles known to be associated with HCV clearance or persistence in a healthy Moroccan population. Conducted at the University Hospital Center Mohammed VI, Marrakech, this study spanned from 2015 to 2022 and included 703 healthy Moroccan individuals. HLA class I and II typing was performed using complement-dependent cytotoxicity and polymerase chain reaction-based methodologies. The results revealed the distinct patterns of HLA-A, B, DRB1, and DQB1 alleles in the Moroccan population. Notably, alleles linked to favorable HCV outcomes, such as HLA-DQB1*0301, DQB1*0501, and DRB1*1101, were more prevalent. Conversely, alleles associated with increased HCV susceptibility and persistence, such as HLA-DQB1*02 and DRB1*03, were also prominent. Gender-specific variations in allele frequencies were observed, providing insights into genetic influences on HCV infection outcomes. The findings align with global trends in HLA allele associations with HCV infection outcomes. The study emphasizes the role of host genetics in HCV infection, highlighting the need for further research in the Moroccan community, including HCV-infected individuals. The prevalence of certain HLA alleles, both protective and susceptibility-linked, underscores the potential for a national HLA data bank in Morocco. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Disease Epidemiology 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

16 pages, 3252 KiB  
Systematic Review
Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Infections in Patients with Renal Insufficiency: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Deepak Chandramohan, Prabhat Singh, Hari Naga Garapati, Raghunandan Konda, Divya Chandramohan, Nihar Jena, Atul Bali and Prathap Kumar Simhadri
Diseases 2024, 12(10), 247; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases12100247 - 10 Oct 2024
Viewed by 817
Abstract
(1) Background: Renal insufficiency is a risk factor for cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection. (2) Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted from multiple electronic databases to identify studies. Using the random effects model, we calculated the pooled rates of CIED infection and [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Renal insufficiency is a risk factor for cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection. (2) Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted from multiple electronic databases to identify studies. Using the random effects model, we calculated the pooled rates of CIED infection and their 95% confidence intervals. We also calculated the pooled odds ratios to determine the risk of CIED infections due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We utilized the Cochran Q and I2 statistics to detect and quantify heterogeneity. (3) Results: A total of 17 studies comprising 359,784 patients with renal insufficiency were added to the meta-analysis. Out of these, 263,819 were CKD patients and 89,617 were ESRD patients. The pooled rate of CIED infection in patients with CKD was 4.3% (95% CI: 2–8.8; I2: 95.7), and in patients with ESRD, it was 4.8% (95% CI: 2.6–8.7; I2: 99.4). The pooled risk of CIED infection in the CKD population was OR 2.5 (95% CI: 1.9–3.3; p < 0.001; I2: 21.1), and in the ESRD population, it was OR 2.4 (95% CI: 1.01–5.7; p = 0.046; I2: 88.8). ESRD was associated with higher mortality, OR 2.5 (95% CI: 1.4–4.4.8; p = 0.001; I2: 95). (4) Conclusions: The presence of renal insufficiency increases the number of CIED infections. In particular, patients with ESRD have an increased risk of mortality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Disease Epidemiology 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 997 KiB  
Systematic Review
Prevalence of Leishmaniasis among Blood Donors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Maria Kantzanou, Evangelos Kostares, Georgia Kostare, Evangelia Papagiannopoulou, Michael Kostares and Athanasios Tsakris
Diseases 2024, 12(7), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases12070160 - 17 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 992
Abstract
Our study seeks to provide a comprehensive assessment of leishmaniasis prevalence among blood donors, employing rigorous methodologies to inform public health initiatives and transfusion safety measures. A thorough literature search was conducted using electronic databases (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) [...] Read more.
Our study seeks to provide a comprehensive assessment of leishmaniasis prevalence among blood donors, employing rigorous methodologies to inform public health initiatives and transfusion safety measures. A thorough literature search was conducted using electronic databases (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) to identify the relevant studies reporting the prevalence of leishmaniasis among blood donors, gathering a wide range of studies encompassing different geographic locations and time periods. The pooled prevalence with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated, and quality assessment, outlier analysis, and influential analysis were performed to ensure the robustness and validity of the findings. Our search and subsequent analyses led to the inclusion of thirty-five studies in our review. Using molecular diagnostic methods, the prevalence was estimated at 2.3% (95% CI 1–3.9%), while serological diagnostic methods indicated a higher prevalence rate of 4.5% (95% CI 2.8–6.7%). Notably, we observed significant heterogeneity among the included studies for each analysis. The observed heterogeneity highlights the need for future research to delve into the factors influencing leishmaniasis prevalence, with prospective and retrospective studies addressing the limitations identified in this review. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Disease Epidemiology 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop