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Infectious Diseases in Animals

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 1439

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-220, Brazil
Interests: neosporosis; tuberculosis; coxiellosis; dengue; emerging diseases due to climate changes

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recifa, PE, Brazil
Interests: neosporosis; tuberculosis; coxiellosis; dengue; emerging diseases due to climate changes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Infectious diseases in animals, caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, pose significant challenges not only to animal health but also public health, causing zoonoses such as neosporosis, tuberculosis, and coxiellosis. Environmental changes and globalization have contributed to the emergence and re-emergence of these diseases, altering the distribution of vectors and hosts and enabling pathogens to spread into new geographical areas.

Despite scientific advancements, controlling infectious diseases in animals—especially in wildlife and livestock—remains a challenge. Understanding disease transmission, improving surveillance, and developing effective prevention and treatment strategies are critical to mitigating future outbreaks.

This Special Issue aims to address the current status of infectious diseases in animals, their transmission dynamics, and future perspectives. We welcome original research articles and reviews that contribute to this field, including studies on disease surveillance, host–pathogen interactions, novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and strategies for prevention and control. 

We look forward to your valuable contributions.

Dr. Lilian Gregory
Guest Editor

Dr. Huber Rizzo
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • neosporosis
  • tuberculosis
  • coxiellosis
  • dengue
  • emerging diseases due to climate changes

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2493 KB  
Article
Ginsenoside Rb3 Suppresses Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus Replication by Inhibiting Autophagy to Potentiate Immune Responses
by Qinglu Zhao, Hongmei Chen, Zhanying Hu, Dingcheng Wei, Xueliang Zhu and Rui Zhang
Microorganisms 2026, 14(4), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14040738 - 26 Mar 2026
Abstract
Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a highly contagious disease of domestic and wild small ruminants, is characterized by severe morbidity and mortality. PPRV, the causative agent, is a morbillivirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. The virus poses a significant barrier to sustainable agricultural [...] Read more.
Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a highly contagious disease of domestic and wild small ruminants, is characterized by severe morbidity and mortality. PPRV, the causative agent, is a morbillivirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. The virus poses a significant barrier to sustainable agricultural development in the developing world. Currently, no effective therapeutics agent for PPRV infection is available. Ginsenoside Rb3, the major bioactive constituent in the plants of ginseng, was reported to exert a wide range of pharmacologic and immunologic effects. However, it is unclear whether Ginsenoside Rb3 can act as an antiviral against PPRV infection. Here, we show that Ginsenoside Rb3 exhibits significant antiviral activity against PPRV in cell culture models. The mechanism of action of Ginsenoside Rb3 against PPRV is mainly attributed to its ability to inhibit PPRV-mediated autophagy, thus leading to promotion of interferon responses. In summary, our study establishes Ginsenoside Rb3 as a novel antiviral agent effective against PPRV, sheds light on its mode of action, and reveals a novel immunomodulatory strategy that may prove essential for combating both current and future viral outbreaks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Diseases in Animals)
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16 pages, 1309 KB  
Article
Distribution and Quantification of Infectious and Parasitic Agents in Managed Honeybees in Central Italy, the Republic of Kosovo, and Albania
by Franca Rossi, Martina Iannitto, Beqe Hulaj, Luciano Ricchiuti, Ani Vodica, Patrizia Tucci, Franco Mutinelli and Anna Granato
Microorganisms 2026, 14(1), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14010219 - 17 Jan 2026
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Abstract
This study aimed to determine the presence of relevant infectious and parasitic agents (IPAs) in managed honeybees from Central Italy and the Republic of Kosovo and Albania to assess the overall health status of local apiaries by determining the contamination levels and co-occurrence. [...] Read more.
This study aimed to determine the presence of relevant infectious and parasitic agents (IPAs) in managed honeybees from Central Italy and the Republic of Kosovo and Albania to assess the overall health status of local apiaries by determining the contamination levels and co-occurrence. Therefore, pathogens and parasites such as Paenibacillus larvae, Melissococcus plutonius, Vairimorpha apis, V. ceranae, the acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), deformed wing virus variants DWV-A and DWV-B, and the parasitoid flies Megaselia scalaris and Senotainia tricuspis were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and reverse transcriptase qPCR (RT-qPCR) in clinically healthy adult honeybees collected from 187 apiaries in the Abruzzo and Molise regions of Central Italy, 206 apiaries in the Republic of Kosovo in 2022 and 2023 and 18 apiaries in Albania in 2022. The percentages of positive samples and contamination for V. ceranae, P. larvae and DWV-B were significantly higher in the Republic of Kosovo and Albania, while the percentages of samples positive for M. plutonius, CBPV, DWV-A, and the parasitoid flies were higher in Central Italy. Additionally, P. larvae and some viruses showed significantly different occurrence rates between the two years in Italy and the Republic of Kosovo. The co-occurrence of IPAs also differed between the two geographic areas. Their varying distribution could depend on epidemiological dynamics, climatic factors, and management practices specific to each country, whose relative impact should be defined to guide targeted interventions to reduce honeybee mortality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Diseases in Animals)
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10 pages, 5469 KB  
Article
Evaluation of the Protective Efficacy of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccines Against O/CATHAY Topotype Virus in Pigs
by Ye-Ji Kim, Dong-Wan Kim, Mi-Kyeong Ko, Donghyeon Kim, Seo-Yong Lee, Yerin Kim, Yeonrea Chae, Tae-jun Kim, Hyejin Kim, Min Ja Lee, Sung-Han Park, Jaejo Kim, Jong-Hyeon Park, Ji-Hyeon Hwang and Yoon-Hee Lee
Microorganisms 2026, 14(1), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14010186 - 14 Jan 2026
Viewed by 411
Abstract
The world is divided into seven regional pools based on the serotype distribution and geographical spread of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus. The Republic of Korea (ROK) belongs to Pool 1, where serotypes O, A, and Asia1 are endemic. Recently, the risk of [...] Read more.
The world is divided into seven regional pools based on the serotype distribution and geographical spread of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus. The Republic of Korea (ROK) belongs to Pool 1, where serotypes O, A, and Asia1 are endemic. Recently, the risk of incursions by the O/CATHAY topotype has increased in Pool 1, raising concerns about its potential introduction into the ROK. To assess the protective effectiveness of three commercial FMD vaccine strains—O1/Manisa + O/3039, O/Primorsky, and O1/Campos—currently used in the ROK against this topotype, an animal challenge experiment was conducted. Three treatment groups (n = 4 in each) of pigs received a single 2 mL injection of one of the vaccines at 8–10 weeks of age, and the other group (n = 2) served as the control. All pigs were challenged with the O/HKN/5/2019 virus (O/CATHAY topotype) at 21 days post-vaccination. All vaccines conferred protective effects, with O1/Campos demonstrating the highest efficacy by inducing fewest clinical signs and significantly reducing virus shedding in the treated groups compared with those in the control group. These findings suggest O1/Campos may serve as an emergency measure; nevertheless, the development of a vaccine specifically targeting the O/CATHAY topotype is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Diseases in Animals)
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