February 21, 2025

PLOS statement on recent US Executive Orders

PLOS remains committed to the principle of open science: integrity, transparency, inclusivity, and collaboration.

Please read more on our blog.

Image credit: PLOS

Calling all experts!

PLOS Pathogens welcomes talented individuals to join our editorial board.

Apply now

04/28/2025

research article

The Emerging Fungal Pathogen Candida auris Induces IFNγ to Colonize the Skin

In this study, the authors identify that, unlike Candida albicans, which induces IL-17-secreting protective effector Th17 cells, Candida auris predominately induces IFNγ-secreting pathogenic Th1 cells during reinfection. The findings from this study, for the first time, identify the T cell immune responses to C. auris during reinfection that could open the door to developing novel vaccine strategies to prevent and treat this fungal pathogen.

Image credit: ppat.1013114

The Emerging Fungal Pathogen Candida auris Induces IFNγ to Colonize the Skin

Recently Published Articles

See all articles

Current Issue April 2025

04/10/2025

research article

Efflux pumps and membrane permeability contribute to intrinsic antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium abscessus

It is currently unclear whether drug uptake is a limiting factor in the efficacy of M. abscessus therapies. To assess drug accumulation, the authors directly measured antibiotic accumulation within the bacterium and found that several therapeutically relevant antibiotics display low accumulation, indicating that those particular drugs might be rendered ineffective by their poor uptake.

Image credit: ppat.1013027

Efflux pumps and membrane permeability contribute to intrinsic antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium abscessus

04/23/2025

research article

Neuregulin-1 prevents death from a normally lethal respiratory viral infection

Respiratory viral infections, like those caused by influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, have significant impact leading to increased mortality and morbidity, especially in the very young and elderly. Interestingly, mice that have been made allergic to house dust mite are resistant to normally lethal doses of influenza and murine parainfluenza virus type 1. In this study, the authors find that the protein neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) is elevated in the lungs and airways of these allergic mice.

Image credit: ppat.1013124

Neuregulin-1 prevents death from a normally lethal respiratory viral infection

04/03/2025

research article

The evolution of antibiotic resistance in Europe, 1998–2019

Here, the authors systematically analyze resistance trajectories for 887 bug-drug-country combinations in Europe across 1998–2019, for eight bacterial species with a considerable resistance-associated public health burden. Their analyses support a model in which, after an initial increase, resistance frequencies reach a stable intermediate equilibrium.

Image credit: ppat.1012945

04/28/2025

research article

HIV-1 cell-to-cell infection of macrophages escapes type I interferon and host restriction factors, and is resistant to antiretroviral drugs

The work reported here provides significant findings highlighting mechanisms by which HIV-1 evades host innate immune responses and antiretroviral therapies through viral cell-to-cell spreading in macrophages.

Image credit: ppat.1013130

04/21/2025

research article

The molecular basis for DNA-binding by competence T4P is distinct in a representative Gram-positive and Gram-negative species

Here, the authors explore how monoderm competence T4P bind DNA using Streptococcus pneumoniae as a model system. Their results indicate that while monoderm T4P and diderm T4P likely have conserved structural features, the DNA-binding mechanism of each system is distinct.

Image credit: ppat.1013128

04/28/2025

research article

Variable rates of SARS-CoV-2 evolution in chronic infections

The authors describe and apply a novel statistical method to study within-host virus evolution, identifying the minimum number of subpopulations required to explain sequence data observed from cases of chronic infection.

Image credit: ppat.1013109

04/17/2025

research article

Heat shock factor 2 regulates oncogenic gamma-herpesvirus gene expression by remodeling the chromatin at the ORF50 and BZLF1 promoter

This work expands our knowledge of the complex transition from viral latency to lytic reactivation.

Image credit: ppat.1013108

04/10/2025

research article

Mystique, a broad host range Acinetobacter phage, reveals the impact of culturing conditions on phage isolation and infectivity

Here, the authors report the discovery and structural characterization of a novel lytic phage, Mystique.

Image credit: ppat.1012986

04/08/2025

research article

A positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus acquired a negative-sense open reading frame through recombination

Through genomic and phylogenetic analysis, the authors show that brine shrimp virga-like virus 1 has a global distribution and a unique genomic makeup.

Image credit: ppat.1013015

PLOS Pathogens Microbiome Research: A Call for Papers

Pathobiology and dysbiosis of the respiratory and intestinal microbiota in 14 months old Golden Syrian hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2

Brittany Seibert, C. Joaquín Cáceres, and colleagues
Bile acids promote the caveolae-associated entry of swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus in porcine intestinal enteroids

Qi-Yue Yang, Yong-Le Yang, and colleagues
Multi-omics analysis of the cervical epithelial integrity of women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate

Frideborg Bradley and colleagues
Modulation of sensory perception by hydrogen peroxide enables Caenorhabditis elegans to find a niche that provides both food and protection from hydrogen peroxide

Jodie A. Schiffer & Stephanie V. Stumbur and colleagues
Evidence of MHC class I and II influencing viral and helminth infection via the microbiome in a non-human primate

B. Karina Montero and colleagues

What is happening at PLOS Pathogens?

Exciting News: New Editor-in-Chief Joins in 2025

We are pleased to announce that Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh joined us as second Editor-in-Chief at the beginning of 2025. With this addition, we are thrilled to once again have a dynamic dual leadership team guiding the journal.
Discover Our Updated Editorial Board Webpage!

We're excited about our revised and synchronized Editorial Board webpage—now enhanced with a brand-new search functionality!

Easily find and explore board members with our improved layout and seamless navigation.
PLOS Pathogens welcomes the latest additions to our senior leadership team

We've been thrilled to welcome:

Helena Boshoff, Thomas Guillard, Thomas Hoenen, Francis Jiggins, Robert Kalejta, Tracey Lamb, Edward Mitre, and Alice Prince!
PLOS statement on recent US Executive Orders and scientific integrity

PLOS will always anchor our decisions in our values and our principles. And we will continue to speak up vocally for open, independent science.

Publish with PLOS

Get new content from PLOS Pathogens in your inbox

PLOS Pathogens | ISSN: 1553-7374 (online)

Calling all experts!

PLOS Pathogens welcomes talented individuals to join our editorial board.

Recently Published Articles

Publish with PLOS

Connect with Us

Get new content from PLOS Pathogens in your inbox