Intracellular bacterial pathogens pose a substantial global one health threat. It is estimated that approximately one billion people are at risk of infection with intracellular bacterial pathogens and these infections lead to substantial economic losses in production animals. Some examples of such bacterial pathogens are Brucella abortus, Listeria spp., Chlamydia spp, Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Coxiella spp., Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Salmonella spp. The underlying principles of bacterial physiology, immunopathology, host–pathogen interactions, host immunity, and the mechanisms that govern infection by intracellular bacteria are not fully understood. Generally, intracellular bacterial pathogens are difficult to treat as conventional antibacterial agents cannot easily penetrate and accumulate inside mammalian cells. The ability to resist antibiotics by these bacterial pathogens further complicates the treatment resulting in multiple dosing regimens and prolonged treatment duration, often accompanied with side-effects. The ability to train the host immune system with vaccines that could generate durable and protective immunity against intracellular bacterial pathogens holds great promise to reduce the global burden of bacterial infections.
Therefore, it is important that the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenicity of intracellular bacterial pathogens be defined. This requires studies that considers both host and pathogen perspective. How do the bacteria infect and evade host immune response? How does the host orchestrate intercellular cross-talk between immune and non-immune cells in response to the presence of intracellular bacterial pathogens? What are the key immunopathological features of infection with intracellular bacterial pathogens and host innate and adaptive immunity? The mechanism by which intracellular bacterial pathogens acquire and transfer drug resistance are important to decipher to develop novel drugs. Vaccines for intracellular bacterial pathogens are more challenging to design due to difficulties in identifying protective antigens that can induce cell-mediated immunity. Elucidating this fundamental knowledge has critical implications for the prevention, control, and treatment of infections caused by intracellular bacterial pathogens.
This Research Topic aims to present state-of-the-art research, recent discoveries, and future directions in infections caused by intracellular bacterial pathogens. Specifically, we encourage the submission of original research articles and reviews in the field.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Intracellular bacterial pathogens of veterinary importance including obligate and facultative intracellular pathogens
- Host-pathogen interaction and immune evasion strategies by intracellular bacterial pathogens
- Immunopathology and host immunity
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Vaccinology strategies against intracellular bacterial pathogens including adjuvants and mucosal vaccines
- Novel drugs and therapeutic modalities to combat intracellular bacterial pathogens
Intracellular bacterial pathogens pose a substantial global one health threat. It is estimated that approximately one billion people are at risk of infection with intracellular bacterial pathogens and these infections lead to substantial economic losses in production animals. Some examples of such bacterial pathogens are Brucella abortus, Listeria spp., Chlamydia spp, Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Coxiella spp., Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Salmonella spp. The underlying principles of bacterial physiology, immunopathology, host–pathogen interactions, host immunity, and the mechanisms that govern infection by intracellular bacteria are not fully understood. Generally, intracellular bacterial pathogens are difficult to treat as conventional antibacterial agents cannot easily penetrate and accumulate inside mammalian cells. The ability to resist antibiotics by these bacterial pathogens further complicates the treatment resulting in multiple dosing regimens and prolonged treatment duration, often accompanied with side-effects. The ability to train the host immune system with vaccines that could generate durable and protective immunity against intracellular bacterial pathogens holds great promise to reduce the global burden of bacterial infections.
Therefore, it is important that the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenicity of intracellular bacterial pathogens be defined. This requires studies that considers both host and pathogen perspective. How do the bacteria infect and evade host immune response? How does the host orchestrate intercellular cross-talk between immune and non-immune cells in response to the presence of intracellular bacterial pathogens? What are the key immunopathological features of infection with intracellular bacterial pathogens and host innate and adaptive immunity? The mechanism by which intracellular bacterial pathogens acquire and transfer drug resistance are important to decipher to develop novel drugs. Vaccines for intracellular bacterial pathogens are more challenging to design due to difficulties in identifying protective antigens that can induce cell-mediated immunity. Elucidating this fundamental knowledge has critical implications for the prevention, control, and treatment of infections caused by intracellular bacterial pathogens.
This Research Topic aims to present state-of-the-art research, recent discoveries, and future directions in infections caused by intracellular bacterial pathogens. Specifically, we encourage the submission of original research articles and reviews in the field.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Intracellular bacterial pathogens of veterinary importance including obligate and facultative intracellular pathogens
- Host-pathogen interaction and immune evasion strategies by intracellular bacterial pathogens
- Immunopathology and host immunity
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Vaccinology strategies against intracellular bacterial pathogens including adjuvants and mucosal vaccines
- Novel drugs and therapeutic modalities to combat intracellular bacterial pathogens
