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Pathogens
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Pathogenic Neisseria: Genomic Epidemiology, Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection
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Pathogenic Neisseria: Genomic Epidemiology, Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 5592

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Leonor Sánchez-Busó

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Genomics and Health Area, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Community (FISABIO-Public Health), 46020 Valencia, Spain
Interests: microbial genomics; genomic epidemiology; public health; antimicrobial resistance; novel mechanisms

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The genus Neisseria includes several species that are mostly human commensals that colonize the mucosa. However, mostly two of them, Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, can cause serious disease in humans. N. meningitidis colonizes the oropharynx, it spreads through saliva and other respiratory secretions and can cause meningitis and severe sepsis. N. gonorrhoeae is a sexually transmitted pathogen that can cause the genitourinary infection gonorrhoea, which can develop complications if left untreated, such as disseminated infections, increased risk of HIV infection and even infertility. It is included in the World Health Organization priority list of pathogens in need of research and development of new antimicrobials because it has developed or acquired antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to every antibiotic used to treat the disease. Treatment options are scarce and there is not a suitable vaccine, thus posing a current threat to public health worldwide. AMR in N. meningitidis is rare and there are suitable vaccines to prevent meningococcal infections but invasive meningococcal disease is life-threatening and progresses rapidly. Genomic approaches are essential to monitor the spread of these pathogens, study outbreaks, transmission chains, detect novel mechanisms of AMR and pathogenicity as well as identify new potential therapeutic targets. The main focus of this Special Issue of Pathogens will be on genetics and genomics of pathogenic Neisseria for epidemiological purposes, the investigation of novel mechanisms of AMR and infection. The scope will mainly be on pathogenic Neisseria, but we will also welcome relevant work on other commensal Neisseria species. Within this scope, we encourage submissions of original research manuscripts, reviews and case reports on:

  • Genomic surveillance.
  • Investigation of outbreaks and/or transmission chains.
  • Antimicrobial resistance.
  • Molecular typing.
  • Genetic basis of infection.
  • Pathogenesis.
  • Host–pathogen interaction.
  • Novel approaches to study AMR and virulence.
  • Novel therapeutic targets.
  • Other aspects relevant to the focus of this Special Issue.

The collation of scientific manuscripts of this Special Issue will surely have a significant impact in the field, helping us to understand the mechanisms of infection, AMR, transmission and the spread of Neisseria species using molecular approaches.

Dr. Leonor Sánchez-Busó
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

  • Neisseria
  • genomics
  • surveillance
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • pathogenesis

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2558 KiB  
Article
Both Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria sicca Induce Cytokine Secretion by Infected Human Cells, but Only Neisseria gonorrhoeae Upregulates the Expression of Long Non-Coding RNAs
by Jagoda Płaczkiewicz, Monika Adamczyk-Popławska, Ewa Kozłowska and Agnieszka Kwiatek
Pathogens 2022, 11(4), 394; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens11040394 - 24 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1966
Abstract
Bacteria of the Neisseria genus are Gram-negative diplococci including both pathogenic and commensal species. We focused on pathogenic Neisseria gonorrhoeae and commensal Neisseria sicca. We have demonstrated that not only N. gonorrhoeae, but also N. sicca induce the secretion of pro-inflammatory [...] Read more.
Bacteria of the Neisseria genus are Gram-negative diplococci including both pathogenic and commensal species. We focused on pathogenic Neisseria gonorrhoeae and commensal Neisseria sicca. We have demonstrated that not only N. gonorrhoeae, but also N. sicca induce the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and chemokines CXCL8 and CCL20 by infected epithelial cells. However, N. sicca triggers a lesser effect than does N. gonorrhoeae. Furthermore, N. gonorrhoeae and N. sicca invoke distinct effects on the expression of genes (JUNB, FOSB, NFKB1, NFKBIA) encoding protein components of AP-1 and NF-κB transcription factors. We have also shown that the infection of epithelial cells by N. gonorrhoeae leads to significant overexpression of the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), including MALAT1, ERICD, and RP11-510N19.5. This effect was not identified for N. sicca. In conclusion, data on the expression of lncRNAs and cytokine secretion in response to Neisseria spp. exposure indicate new directions for research on Neisseria-host interactions and can provide further insights into virulence of not only pathogenic, but also commensal Neisseria spp. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenic Neisseria: Genomic Epidemiology, Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection)
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Review

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16 pages, 2554 KiB  
Review
Current Susceptibility Surveillance and Distribution of Antimicrobial Resistance in N. gonorrheae within WHO Regions
by Marina Radovanovic, Dusan Kekic, Milos Jovicevic, Jovana Kabic, Ina Gajic, Natasa Opavski and Lazar Ranin
Pathogens 2022, 11(11), 1230; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens11111230 - 25 Oct 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1639
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) is the etiological agent of the second most common sexually transmitted disease in the world, gonorrhoea. Currently recommended and last available first-line therapy is extended-spectrum cephalosporins most often combined with azitromycin. However, misuse of antibiotics and the [...] Read more.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) is the etiological agent of the second most common sexually transmitted disease in the world, gonorrhoea. Currently recommended and last available first-line therapy is extended-spectrum cephalosporins most often combined with azitromycin. However, misuse of antibiotics and the abilities of N. gonorrhoeae to acquire new genetic and plasmid-borne resistance determinants has gradually led to the situation where this bacterium has become resistant to all major classes of antibiotics. Together with a generally slow update of treatment guidelines globally, as well as with the high capacity of gonococci to develop and retain AMR, this may lead to the global worsening of gonococcal AMR. Since effective vaccines are unavailable, the management of gonorrhoea relies mostly on prevention and accurate diagnosis, together with antimicrobial treatment. The study overviews the latest results of mostly WHO-initiated studies, primarily focusing on the data regarding the molecular basis of the resistance to the current and novel most promising antibacterial agents, which could serve to establish or reinforce the continual, quality-assured and comparable AMR surveillance, including systematic monitoring and treatment with the use of molecular AMR prediction methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenic Neisseria: Genomic Epidemiology, Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection)
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