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Burden of lower respiratory tract infections in older adults

Guest Editors

Denise Battaglini, MD, PhD, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Italy 
Alejandro Rodriguez, MD, PhD, MSc, Hospital Universitario de Tarragona Joan XXIII, Spain


BMC Infectious Diseases called for submissions to our Collection, Burden of lower respiratory tract infections in older adults. This Collection aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the burden of lower respiratory tract infections in older adults, exploring various aspects such as epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnostics, treatment strategies and preventive measures.



New Content ItemThis Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Denise Battaglini, MD, PhD, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Italy

Denise Battaglini, MD, PhD is a consultant in Intensive Care and Anesthesiology at the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy. She is currently the national representative for Italy of the ESICM. Her research interests include lower respiratory tract infections and lung microbiota, ARDS, respiratory and airway rehabilitation and management, and crosstalk between brain and lung.


Alejandro Rodriguez MD, PhD, MSc, Hospital Universitario de Tarragona Joan XXIII, Spain

Alejandro Rodriguez is a specialist in Intensive Care Medicine, PhD in Medicine from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Master’s in bioinformatics and Biostatistics. Head of Section of the Department of Intensive Care Medicine and responsible for infection control and optimisation of antimicrobial treatment in the ICU (PROA-ICU). 
His research interests are sepsis, severe pneumonia, shock, microcirculation, and the development of predictive models using automatic data.

About the Collection

BMC Infectious Diseases is calling for submissions to our Collection, Burden of lower respiratory tract infections in older adults. 

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) represent a significant global health challenge, particularly among older adults. These infections, which encompass a wide range of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, can lead to severe complications and increased morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable population.

Advancing our collective understanding of the burden of lower respiratory tract infections in older adults is of paramount importance for several compelling reasons. The global population is aging rapidly, and with this demographic shift comes an increased vulnerability to infectious diseases. By comprehensively investigating the complexities of LRTIs in this demographic, we can implement targeted and effective preventive strategies, optimize treatment modalities, and ultimately reduce the impact of these infections on public health and healthcare systems.

This Collection aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the burden of LRTIs in older adults, exploring various aspects such as epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnostics, treatment strategies and preventive measures. We welcome research exploring, but not limited to:

  • The epidemiology of LRTIs in older adults
  • The impact of age-related factors on respiratory infections
  • Mortality patterns in LRTIs among older adults
  • The role of vaccinations in preventing LRTIs in older populations
  • Geriatric-specific strategies for LRTI management 
  • Novel approaches to diagnosing LRTIs in older adults
  • Healthcare-associated lower respiratory infections in long-term care facilities
  • Antimicrobial resistance in LRTIs: implications for older populations
  • Advancing therapeutic interventions for LRTIs in older adults
  • Initiatives for preventing LRTIs  in older adults 


This collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being


Image credit: sturti / Getty Images / iStock

  1. To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and infections of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza viruses in hospitalized elderly patients with respiratory tract infections in Suzhou City, C...

    Authors: Jiangtao Yu, Na Liu, Yiheng Zhu, Wenyu Wang, Xianquan Fan, Xuan Yuan, Juan Xu, Benfeng Zheng and Lin Luan
    Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2024 24:1129
    Content type: Research Published on:

  2. Pulmonary nocardiosis (PN) is a rare and opportunistic infection. This study aimed to analyze clinical, radiological, and microbiological features, treatment and outcome of PN in southern china.

    Authors: Li-Da Chen, Hong-Yuan Li, Jian-Jun Xie, Miao-Fen Hu, Xiang-Xing Chen, Zhi-Ming Cai, Li Lin, Xiao-Bin Zhang, Gong-Ping Chen and Kai-Xiong Liu
    Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2024 24:1073
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. There have been increasing reports of Klebsiella pneumoniae resistant to β-lactam antibiotics. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of some selected carbapenemase genes among clinical isolates of Klebsiel...

    Authors: Chisom Blossom Onyeji, Seyi Samson Enitan, Olalekan Ademola Kemiki, Abigail Chinyere Igwe, Akinbobola Ayokunle Adeniyi, Michael Unata Iduh, Grace Eleojo Itodo, Ayomide Oluwatobiloba Okuneye, Precious Oluwatosin Adamson and Mofeoluwa Favour Kolawole
    Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2024 24:970
    Content type: Research Published on:

  4. Respiratory infections have long been recognized as a primary cause of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD). Additionally, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance has led to ...

    Authors: Duy Tuyen Dao, Huu Y Le, Minh Hai Nguyen, Thi Duyen Thi, Xuan Dung Nguyen, Thanh Thuyet Bui, Thi Huyen Trang Tran, Van Luan Pham, Hang Nga Do, Jim-Tong Horng, Huu Song Le and Dinh Tien Nguyen
    Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2024 24:622
    Content type: Research Published on:

  5. Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (LRTI) pose a serious threat to older adults but may be underdiagnosed due to atypical presentations. Here we assess LRTI symptom profiles and syndromic (symptom-based) case ...

    Authors: Rachel Kwiatkowska, Anastasia Chatzilena, Jade King, Madeleine Clout, Serena McGuinness, Nick Maskell, Jennifer Oliver, Robert Challen, Matthew Hickman, Adam Finn, Catherine Hyams and Leon Danon
    Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2024 24:568
    Content type: Research Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Burden of lower respiratory tract infections in older adults" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.