There is a strong association between gastrointestinal inflammatory complications, infectious agents, and nutritional elements. Millions of people suffer from chronic inflammatory diseases and the incidence has significantly increased in recent years. Inflammation is a multifactorial, biological, and immunological response to injuries. Inflammation is initiated by several stimuli such as pathogens, chemical irritants, nutritional imbalance, and different cell injures. Inflammation is required in the body process of healing. For instance, acute inflammation is required to ward off different microbial (e.g., Helicobacter, Campylobacter, Clostridium, and Mycobacterium), parasitic (e.g., protozoa, helminthes, and flatworms), viral, and fungal attacks. Yet exaggerated and long-lasting infections are linked with chronic inflammatory responses. The chronic inflammation can cause severe debilitating and irreversible complications including hepatitis, pancreatitis, colitis, and other gastrointestinal and neurodegenerative syndromes. Additionally, nutritional imbalance and specifically lack or over indulging of certain nutrients may influence immune response to modulate infections and inflammatory responses.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Investigations to reveal mechanisms of inflammation, infections, and association with food components
• Foodborne diseases and chronic inflammatory complications
• Mechanism of actions in altered microbiome/infections and regulatory mediators in immunity and inflammation including antibiotics, biological, chemical, pharmaceutical, and nutraceuticals
• The role of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory disease as novel strategies for reversing dysbiosis and restoring health
• Balance of oxidative status and immune regulation by nutritional interventions in infectious and inflammatory conditions
• Challenges in the effect of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance on microbiome, inflammation, nutrition, and food components