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Open research questions in Microbial infections and disease research

97 gap statements mined from Microbial infections and disease research papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 387 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

What the literature leaves open

  • Limited biological replicates. Need for careful interpretation of statistical analyses and associated p-values. Challenge of characterizing microbiome changes in a complex system like the chicken URT.

    Impact of Avibacterium paragallinarum infection on the upper respiratory tract microbiome of chickens · 2026 · DOI

  • The study had limited biological replicates, - Statistical analyses and associated p-values were interpreted as exploratory, - The sample size was small (n = 5 per group)

    Impact of Avibacterium paragallinarum infection on the upper respiratory tract microbiome of chickens · 2026 · DOI

  • While robust and easy to implement, these approaches are difficult to scale for hundreds of antigens in large animal cohorts and provide limited information on the specific antigens and epitopes targeted by the antibody response.

    BoviScan: a Phage ImmunoPrecipitation Sequencing library to characterize the antibody response against Mycoplasma bovis. · 2026 · DOI

  • Radix Pseudostellariae saponins (RPS), important bioactive components of the traditional Chinese herb, have been utilized for immunomodulation, although the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.

    Novel insights into Radix Pseudostellariae saponins assist Mycoplasma gallisepticum attenuated vaccine to enhance the immunoprotection of chicken · 2026 · DOI

  • multocida strains are ubiquitous and known to infect a wide range of host species with varied clinical manifestations hitherto, the molecular basis of host tropism remains unknown.

    Comparative pangenomics of Pasteurella multocida uncovers adhesins specific to capsular serogroup B strains associated with bovine host tropism · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should focus on multiple immunogenic targets to enhance sensitivity and specificity for M.

    Evaluation of a P48 ELISA for Mycoplasmopsis (Mycoplasma) bovis in North American bison (Bison bison): inferior performance compared to a commercially available ELISA · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the clinical application of TUL is currently limited by the sole availability of an injectable formulation, which may restrict its broader clinical adoption.

    A novel tulathromycin oil suspension injection: preparation, characterization, and pharmacokinetics in goats · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the impact of natural PM exposure on the bovine URT microbiota remains poorly understood.

    Seasonal particulate matter exposure is associated with upper respiratory microbiota restructuring in dairy heifers · 2026 · DOI

  • Protective immunity remains poorly defined, with unresolved questions on correlates of protection and the roles of mucosal and systemic responses.

    Discontools supplement Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections in pigs: update and knowledge gaps · 2026 · DOI

  • The impact of strain diversity on virulence, transmission, persistence, and vaccine performance is not yet fully understood, and predictive markers are lacking.

    Discontools supplement Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections in pigs: update and knowledge gaps · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the host genetic factors governing its pathogenesis remain poorly understood.

    Genome-wide CRISPR screening identifies RAB8B as a candidate target for improving disease resistance against Glaesserella parasuis in pigs · 2026 · DOI

  • Results focusing on the association of CMhl positivity with warm temperatures and large herd size suggest the need of further studies on the genetic features, epidemiology and immune response in CMhl-positive SAC from Italy, with emphasis on understanding potential vector transmission.

    Detection and characterization of Candidatus mycoplasma haemolamae haplotype in South American camelids farmed in Italy · 2026 · DOI

  • 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemolamae' (CMhl) is a hemotropic bacterium infecting South American Camelids (SAC), whose epidemiology and clinical significance are still not fully elucidated.

    Detection and characterization of Candidatus mycoplasma haemolamae haplotype in South American camelids farmed in Italy · 2026 · DOI

  • Sternal bursitis, a condition affecting poultry welfare and carcass quality, remains poorly characterized from a microbiological perspective.

    Genomic and phenotypic characterization of Enterococcus faecalis from broiler sternal bursitis: antimicrobial resistance and one health risks · 2026 · DOI

  • haemobos in cattle is warranted, with investigation of its pathogenicity and pathogenies.

    Hemoglobinuria associated with Candidatus Mycoplasma Haemobos in a primiparous Holstein cow in Turkey: a case report · 2026 · DOI

  • Abstract Taylorella equigenitalis , the causative agent of contagious equine metritis, is a fastidious bacterium with limited tolerance to extra-host conditions; however, quantitative data on its growth dynamics and survival outside the host remain scarce.

    Growth kinetics of Taylorella equigenitalis and its survival in straw-based bedding · 2026 · DOI

  • Still, little is known about the intricate interactions between host cells and the many different pathogens that cause respiratory diseases, leaving a substantial knowledge gap to be filled in order to develop effective therapies.

    Primary cell culture systems to investigate host-pathogen interactions in bacterial respiratory tract infections of livestock · 2025 · DOI

  • Despite its growing clinical significance, the genomic basis of pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance in this species remains poorly understood, particularly in China.

    Genomic characteristics, antimicrobial resistance profiles and virulence factors of Gallibacterium anatis isolates from layer chickens in Northern China · 2025 · DOI

  • However, their immediate protective efficacy after immunization, particularly for emergency scenarios, remains poorly characterized.

    Immunization of pigs with Actinobacillus pleuropneumonia live attenuated (gene-deleted) vaccine HB04M intramuscularly or intranasally exhibits remarkably rapid protection against heterologous strain challenge · 2025 · DOI

  • Recognised as a major cattle disease, CBPP is included in the DISCONTOOLS database, which aims "to identify the gaps in knowledge to speed up the development of new disease control tools and to reduce the burden of animal diseases".

    Review and comprehensive analysis of knowledge, tools, and implementation gaps for the control of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia · 2025 · DOI

  • While direct and vertical transmission routes have been described, its environmental persistence remains poorly understood.

    Temperature-dependent survival of Mycoplasma anserisalpingitidis in water: implications for biosecurity and transmission in waterfowl farming · 2025 · DOI

  • Despite the fast evolution rate of the genome-reduced mycoplasmas, their conjugative properties remain largely understudied, particularly in vivo .

    Bacterial conjugation in the ruminant pathogen Mycoplasma agalactiae is influenced by eukaryotic host factors · 2025 · DOI

  • The conjugative properties of these organisms are key in this phenomenon but are largely understudied, particularly in vivo .

    Bacterial conjugation in the ruminant pathogen Mycoplasma agalactiae is influenced by eukaryotic host factors · 2025 · DOI

  • hominis infections in inducing autoimmunity should be further explored and characterized.

    Microbial players in autoimmunity: multicentric analysis of the association between Mycoplasma hominis serostatus and rheumatoid arthritis · 2025 · DOI

  • However, its role in conferring external environmental stress resistance in Glaesserella parasuis remains unclear.

    Glaesserella parasuis ClpX participates in stress tolerance and contributes to bacterial pathogenicity · 2025 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Microbial infections and disease research

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97 gap statements have been mined from Microbial infections and disease research papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 387 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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