Anti-infective agents are a distinct class of pharmacologically important molecules that have served mankind in different capacities to combat life-threatening pathological conditions. They include antibacterial antifungal antiviral antituberculosis antimalarial and urinary anti-infective agents. However evolutionary changes adaptations and the development of new strains of pathogenic microorganisms have reduced the therapeutic efficacy of existing drugs thus limiting their clinical utility over the years.

Frontiers in Anti-Infective Agents Volume 6 is a collection of notable research efforts successful anti-infective drug development programs and a comprehensive overview of successful and unsuccessful clinical trials conducted in this domain. This volume continues from the last one with interesting reviews on 1) "Reverse Vaccinology" for vaccination design using computational data to identify vaccine targets 2) leptospirosis 3) phage therapy for bacterial infections 4) quorum sensing inhibitors from natural products and 5) nitrogen and oxygen-based heterocyclic compounds that can act as anti-infective agents. The volume therefore covers a range of frontier topics on anti-infective research and development.

This compilation is a timely reference for postgraduate scholars and researchers seeking updates in specific areas of anti-infective drug development. Allied healthcare professionals (clinical and public healthcare professionals) can also benefit from the information presented within.

This volume of Frontiers in Anti-Infective Agents provides updates on the most recent studies about anti-infective agents their mechanism of action the relevant molecular targets and their implication in the development of novel antibiotics that have properties similar to their corresponding compounds of natural origin. The initial chapter covers the mode of action of natural antimycobacterial compounds such as nordihydroguaiaretic acid α-mangostin and allicin as well as antimicrobial peptides and their role in the innate and adaptive immune response leading to the decrease of microbial resistance. This is followed by updates on tuberculosis treatment concerning the immunological role of cells (airway epithelial cells macrophages neutrophils and T cells) along with their products (chemokines cytokines) and other processes such as autophagy that influence the outcome of the host immune response to the infection. Contributors have also reviewed the latest knowledge in the cellular and molecular mechanisms that trigger a protective immune response and the identification of the molecular targets for vaccine development all of which are a key priority to develop control measures against Babesia species like Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina. Additionally the neuro-endocrine and neuro-immune mechanisms behind host responses against stress and environmental stimuli during infections are also covered in separate chapters. The volume also provides updates related to Helicobacter pylori pathogenesis. The reviews presented in Anti-infective Research and Development provide timely updates for scholars and professionals associated with the field of antimicrobial research and development.