It is my pleasure to introduce this issue of touchREVIEWS in Infectious Diseases for 2025, which features a diverse range of reviews and editorials addressing the scientific, clinical and policy dimensions of infectious disease management in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
This issue opens with an editorial by Joshua Craft and Amesika N Nyaku, entitled ‘Disruptions to the United States’ Research Portfolio in 2025 and Potential Global Consequences’. The authors explore how recent US research funding cuts and geopolitical shifts risk undermining decades of international collaboration, innovation and progress in global health security. Their commentary serves as a timely reminder of how science policy directly shapes the trajectory of infectious disease research and preparedness.
In the field of COVID-19 therapeutics, Jessica Huston, Ariana Genovese and Eric F Egelund review paxlovid, an agent for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19, providing an up-to-date synthesis of efficacy, pharmacology, and safety data. Their article highlights nirmatrelvir/ritonavir as a key oral option for out-patient management of COVID-19, while emphasizing the importance of careful monitoring for drug–drug interactions.
Two reviews in this issue focus on HIV and neurological outcomes. Juan David Patino-Mateus et al. examine the expanding role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in improving HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Their narrative review discusses how predictive analytics, resource optimization and algorithmic modelling can refine public health strategies, while urging caution around bias and equity in AI deployment. Complementing this, Gizem Agtas et al. explore plasma biomarkers and cognitive decline in HIV, analyzing findings from two major US cohorts. Their synthesis identifies neurofilament light chain as a promising biomarker of neurodegeneration in aging people living with HIV.
Finally, Jessica Huston and Eric F Egelund return with a comprehensive review of current clinical considerations on antiviral treatment for Mpox. The authors discuss the therapeutic roles of tecovirimat, brincidofovir, and cidofovir by assessing their efficacy, safety and emerging resistance data. Their work underscores the importance of continued vigilance and targeted therapy for immunocompromised individuals amid the evolving mpox landscape.
On behalf of the editorial team, I extend my gratitude to the contributing authors, reviewers, and editors whose commitment to excellence continues to make touchREVIEWS in Infectious Diseases an authoritative and accessible resource for clinicians and researchers worldwide.
Dariusz Hareza, Editorial Board Member
Dr Dariusz Hareza is Assistant Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA. He completed his infectious diseases fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, where he also earned a master’s degree in clinical investigation. He is a former fellow at the NIH-funded Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG), and his research focuses on the molecular epidemiology, resistance mechanisms and clinical outcomes of resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections.
