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Pathogens
Special Issues
Diagnostics of Emerging and Re-emerging Pathogens
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Diagnostics of Emerging and Re-emerging Pathogens

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Emerging Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 1817

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Binu T. Velayudhan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
Interests: development and validation of diagnostic tools for the detection of animal and human pathogens; point-of-care testing; host–pathogen interactions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

From the Black Death epidemic in the 14th century to the most recent COVID-19 and the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI), emerging and re-emerging pathogens have continued to intrigue the scientific community for centuries. It is interesting to note that more than 70% of emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases are of zoonotic nature. Zoonoses and reverse zoonoses play a significant role in the transmission of many diseases between humans and animals. Several factors, including changes in human behavior, habitat and environment, have accelerated the emergence and re-emergence of pathogens in recent decades. In addition to SARS-CoV-2 and HPAI, Monkeypox, Nipah, Hendra and other viruses, multidrug-resistant bacteria, invasive fungi and parasites are constantly threatening the health and well-being of animals and humans. Recent advances in diagnostic technologies, methodologies and devices have enhanced the early and rapid detection of pathogens, which helps in controlling the spread of pathogens early on, reducing the impact of diseases and taking preventive measures. Diagnostic tools such as RT-PCR, next-generation sequencing, isothermal platforms, CRISPR, microfluidics-based assays, spectroscopy and enhanced immunoassays are frequently used for the diagnosis of emerging and existing diseases. There is an ever-increasing need for better diagnostics for the early, rapid, accurate and cost-effective diagnosis of emerging and re-emerging diseases.

This Special Issue will focus on the diagnostics of emerging and re-emerging pathogens.

Dr. Binu T. Velayudhan
Guest Editor

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.

Keywords

  • emerging disease
  • zoonoses
  • diagnostics
  • POCT
  • viruses
  • bacteria
  • sequencing
  • immunoassays

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 233 KiB  
Communication
Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Phleboviruses and Crimean–Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus among Blood Donors in Central Tunisia
by Rym Ayari, Houda Chaouch, Stephen Findlay-Wilson, Wissem Hachfi, Nadia Ben Lasfar, Foued Bellazreg, Stuart Dowall, Neila Hannachi and Amel Letaief
Pathogens 2024, 13(4), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13040348 - 22 Apr 2024
Viewed by 939
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of six viruses, from two families of the order Bunyavirales, in the general population of central Tunisia. Sera collected from 377 asymptomatic blood donors were serologically assayed for Rift Valley fever virus [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of six viruses, from two families of the order Bunyavirales, in the general population of central Tunisia. Sera collected from 377 asymptomatic blood donors were serologically assayed for Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), and four sandfly-borne phleboviruses: Toscana virus (TOSV), sandfly fever Naples virus (SFNV), sandfly fever Sicilian virus (SFSV), and sandfly fever Cyprus virus (SFCV). Of the 377 subjects enrolled in this study, 17.3% were IgG positive for at least one of the viruses tested. The most frequently detected antibodies were against TOSV (13.3%), followed by SFCV (2.9%), RVFV (1.9%), SFSV (1.3%), and SFNV (1.1%). Only one sample was IgG positive for CCHFV. Dual reactivity was observed in nine cases: SFSV + SFCV in three cases (0.8%) and TOSV + SFNV, TOSV + SFCV, and TOSV + RVFV in two cases (0.5%) each. 15.9% of donors were IgG positive against sandfly-borne phleboviruses. Among the 65 donors IgG positive for phleboviruses, 50.8% were from rural areas compared to 12.3% from urban areas (p < 0.001); 92.3% had animals in their living quarters (p = 0.009); and 70.8% lived in the vicinity of stagnant water (p = 0.062). Seroprevalence was significantly higher among donors living with chronic diseases (p = 0.039). Furthermore, the seroprevalence of phleboviruses was higher in Kairouan, the central governorate, than in the two coastal governorates: Monastir and Sousse, with 33.4%, 24.2%, and 14.9%, respectively. The presence of antibodies in the general population needs further investigation to better assess the extent of these viruses. Only TOSV was known to have an extensive circulation in Tunisia and in North Africa. Continued surveillance and interventions are necessary to detect the emergence of all arboviruses and to prevent further transmission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnostics of Emerging and Re-emerging Pathogens)

Review

Jump to: Research

26 pages, 1057 KiB  
Review
Advances in Laboratory Diagnosis of Coronavirus Infections in Cattle
by Shaun van den Hurk, Girija Regmi, Hemant K. Naikare and Binu T. Velayudhan
Pathogens 2024, 13(7), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13070524 - 21 Jun 2024
Viewed by 487
Abstract
Coronaviruses cause infections in humans and diverse species of animals and birds with a global distribution. Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) produces predominantly two forms of disease in cattle: a respiratory form and a gastrointestinal form. All age groups of cattle are affected by the [...] Read more.
Coronaviruses cause infections in humans and diverse species of animals and birds with a global distribution. Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) produces predominantly two forms of disease in cattle: a respiratory form and a gastrointestinal form. All age groups of cattle are affected by the respiratory form of coronavirus, whereas the gastroenteric form causes neonatal diarrhea or calf scours in young cattle and winter dysentery in adult cattle. The tremendous impacts of bovine respiratory disease and the associated losses are well-documented and underscore the importance of this pathogen. Beyond this, studies have demonstrated significant impacts on milk production associated with outbreaks of winter dysentery, with up to a 30% decrease in milk yield. In North America, BCoV was identified for the first time in 1972, and it continues to be a significant economic concern for the cattle industry. A number of conventional and molecular diagnostic assays are available for the detection of BCoV from clinical samples. Conventional assays for BCoV detection include virus isolation, which is challenging from clinical samples, electron microscopy, fluorescent antibody assays, and various immunoassays. Molecular tests are mainly based on nucleic acid detection and predominantly include conventional and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Isothermal amplification assays and genome sequencing have gained increased interest in recent years for the detection, characterization, and identification of BCoV. It is believed that isothermal amplification assays, such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification and recombinase polymerase amplification, among others, could aid the development of barn-side point-of-care tests for BCoV. The present study reviewed the literature on coronavirus infections in cattle from the last three and a half decades and presents information mainly on the current and advancing diagnostics in addition to epidemiology, clinical presentations, and the impact of the disease on the cattle industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnostics of Emerging and Re-emerging Pathogens)
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