Correlates of infection and protection: Exploring the boundary between immunology and medical microbiology

1 Major changes in the field

Over the past decades changes in fundamental insights and sequential technological improvements have profoundly affected our understanding of infectious diseases. Molecular technology has been introduced widely, facilitating laboratory investigations into diagnostics, epidemiology and pathogenesis. Modern developments, such as genomics and proteomics, and their associated sciences such as pharmacogenomics, are destined to further improve our understanding of infectious processes and contribute significantly to the development and implementation of novel therapies. Modern technological possibilities have helped to reveal new fundamental aspects of our understanding of infectious diseases. A wide variety of formerly unrecognised agents of infection have been identified, as have genetic elements encoding virulence or antibiotic resistance. In addition, it has been demonstrated that the spread of infectious agents is greatly facilitated by human behaviour, such as travelling or the excessive use of anti-microbial agents in the environment. This has led to the evolution of new therapeutic and preventive approaches, especially in the field of applied immunology. Various vaccines have been developed and implemented for routine use in western countries over the past years, whereas new approaches to vaccination have also been established and are currently being translated into practical applications. In short, multidisciplinary research efforts have resulted in detailed knowledge of processes of infection, which in turn have enhanced approaches for protection against infectious agents.

As a consequence, the developments outlined above have resulted in major changes in clinical practice. The laboratory-based medical microbiologist has new diagnostic diagnostic technologies at his or her disposal, whereas the clinical infectious disease specialist is now supported by novel insights in microbial pathogenesis so that individual patients are benefited. Improved microbial diagnostics, for instance, lead to the implementation of pathogen-restricted therapies, contributing to lowering the risk of resistance development. Routes of pathogenesis recently discovered by fundamental infectious disease research have pointed to novel vaccination targets, and new preventive and therapeutic avenues.

It should be realised that the current and important shifts in the understanding of the field of infectious disease result mainly from the multidisciplinary collaborations between immunologists, medical microbiologists and molecular biologists.

2 Broadening of scope

Since the professional interaction between members of these scientific disciplines has intensified greatly over the past years, FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology is significantly adapting its editorial policies. We intend to take advantage of current developments and develop our journal as the best forum for the presentation of investigations that explore the boundaries between infectious diseases, immunology and molecular technology. Over recent years our Notes to authors and the description of the scope of the journal emphasised that correlates of protection against infection should be a key aspect of any submitted paper. We will now more explicitly broaden the scope of the journal to include not only papers on correlates of protection but also those that focus on correlates of infection.

Consequently, the scope of the journal has been amended to more accurately reflect the journal's title. Papers can now be submitted that are focussing on microbial components (e.g. virulence factors) responsible for pathogenesis and disease manifestation. Both mechanistic studies and epidemiological studies on gene incidences and polymorphism are welcomed, as long as novel features of disease mechanisms are discussed. As before, studies on innate and acquired immune mechanisms (including antigen processing, immune recognition, lymphokine or interleukin action, antibodies, cell-mediated immunity, etc.) can be submitted, but we now also welcome studies that characterise microbial candidate antigens, their isolation and characterisation by genetic techniques and their use in laboratory- or field-based vaccine studies. The journal will consider papers that cover general aspects of diagnostic medical microbiology as long as they co-consider fundamental aspects of infectious diseases. Finally, FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology will also publish papers that deal with functional microbial genomics of medically relevant microbes.

3 Quality

The editors and members of the editorial board feel that the topics listed above will be instrumental in further improving the quality of our journal. In addition, in January 2002 electronic submission will be strongly encouraged. All involved in the publishing process feel that this will definitely improve and speed-up the review-process. In conclusion, we are confident that our new editorial policy will result in further enhancement of the cross-talk between immunology and medical microbiology, thereby continuously deepening our insights in correlates of microbial infection and immune-protection.