Collection Overview

Scientific Reports has launched a Guest-Edited Collection on Post-acute infection syndrome (PAIS).

Q-fever, Lyme disease, Legionnaires’ disease, post-sepsis syndrome, and long-COVID are chronic diseases that are collectively known as post-acute infection syndrome (PAIS). PAIS occurs after a person has had an acute viral, bacterial, or parasitic infection. Diagnosis is difficult as the infectious agent is often no longer detectable. Disease symptoms show similarities regardless of the infectious agent, and often includes chronic fatigue akin myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Patients often have shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction, as well as a complex profile of additional symptoms, including joint pain, sleep problems, and feeling sick (headaches, muscle pain), in addition to any physical issues remaining after the infection has run its course such as scar tissue in the lungs. Symptoms range from mild discomfort to upending lives. All this has hampered diagnosis and efforts to find an effective treatments. Furthermore, it is unclear which risk factors, and combination thereof, puts a patient most at risk of developing PAIS following an infection.  

This will be a Collection of original research papers and will be open for submissions from all authors – on the condition that the manuscripts fall within the scope of the Collection and of Scientific Reports more generally. We are welcoming submissions until 13th May 2026.

Why is this Collection important? 

“Scientific paper collections on Post-acute infection syndrome (PAIS), including ME/CFS and Long COVID, are crucial as they address chronic, debilitating symptoms persisting after infections and affecting millions worldwide. These syndromes may share biological mechanisms, underscoring the need for collaborative research. By fostering interdisciplinary partnerships, this collection enables researchers to pool expertise, accelerating progress in uncovering causes and developing treatments. Such collaboration advances understanding in an urgent field, encouraging contributions to this impactful discourse that holds promise for enhanced diagnosis and therapies for PAIS patients worldwide.” - Dr. Sławomir Kujawski

Why submit to a Collection? 

Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by Guest Editors, who are experts in their fields, and In-House Editors and are supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores, and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest.

Who is involved? 

Guest Editors:

• Sławomir Kujawski, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland
• Snezhina Mihaylova Lazova, Medical University Sofia, Bulgaria
• Charlotte Steenblock, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Germany

Internal Team:

• In-House Editor: Joyce Rafferty, Scientific Reports, USA
• Commissioning Editor: Emily Sharpe, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK
• Managing Editor: Amy Irving, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK

How can I submit my paper? 

Visit the Collection Page to find out more about this Collection and how to submit your article.