Secondary respiratory bacterial infections arising from pulmonary insults remain a major clinical issue today. Acute or chronic, sterile or infection-driven, pulmonary inflammation predispose to secondary infections. Secondary bacterial infections often result in lethal synergy with primary infection in the lung or, in the case of sepsis, throughout the body. Different mechanisms are implicated in this enhanced susceptibility including disruption of the lung barrier integrity and impaired host defenses. Today’s treatments of secondary bacterial infections are still not effective enough and antibiotic resistance is a major issue. Hence, there is an urgent need for novel therapies.
The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight our current understanding of the mechanisms leading to secondary bacterial infections in the context of pulmonary injury and to update ongoing and future strategies, including immunotherapy, to overcome altered barrier functions and/or immunosuppression to improve patient outcome. We welcome the submission of Review, Mini-Review and Original Research articles covering, but not limited to, the following topics:
1. Consequences of respiratory viral infections on secondary bacterial infections.
2. Consequences of sepsis on secondary bacterial infections.
3. Consequences of chronic pulmonary illnesses on respiratory bacterial super-infection.
Secondary respiratory bacterial infections arising from pulmonary insults remain a major clinical issue today. Acute or chronic, sterile or infection-driven, pulmonary inflammation predispose to secondary infections. Secondary bacterial infections often result in lethal synergy with primary infection in the lung or, in the case of sepsis, throughout the body. Different mechanisms are implicated in this enhanced susceptibility including disruption of the lung barrier integrity and impaired host defenses. Today’s treatments of secondary bacterial infections are still not effective enough and antibiotic resistance is a major issue. Hence, there is an urgent need for novel therapies.
The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight our current understanding of the mechanisms leading to secondary bacterial infections in the context of pulmonary injury and to update ongoing and future strategies, including immunotherapy, to overcome altered barrier functions and/or immunosuppression to improve patient outcome. We welcome the submission of Review, Mini-Review and Original Research articles covering, but not limited to, the following topics:
1. Consequences of respiratory viral infections on secondary bacterial infections.
2. Consequences of sepsis on secondary bacterial infections.
3. Consequences of chronic pulmonary illnesses on respiratory bacterial super-infection.