About the International Journal of Clinical Microbiology
A peer-reviewed, open access journal advancing the laboratory science of infectious disease microbiology - from molecular pathogenesis to diagnostic innovation - serving researchers, microbiologists, and laboratory professionals worldwide.
Clinical microbiology evolves rapidly as emerging pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular diagnostic technologies reshape the landscape of infectious disease research. IJCM serves as a responsive publishing partner for research teams who require credible dissemination without sacrificing methodological rigor, ethical standards, or publication speed.
Our editorial board comprises microbiologists, virologists, parasitologists, molecular diagnosticians, and epidemiologists who curate submissions based on scientific novelty, methodological soundness, and translational relevance. Each manuscript receives tailored editorial guidance, with statistical reviewers assessing analytical robustness, ethics editors evaluating regulatory compliance, and subject experts examining reproducibility and contextual significance.
Beyond publication, IJCM supports authors with post-publication amplification strategies including DOI registration, indexing submissions, search engine optimization, social media promotion, and integration into thematic research collections.
IJCM welcomes original research, reviews, technical innovations, and case studies that advance the microbiological understanding of infectious diseases across bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic domains. We cultivate methodological diversity and geographic representation to reflect global research priorities in clinical microbiology.
Bacterial Microbiology & Genetics
Bacterial pathogenesis, genetic regulation, horizontal gene transfer, bacterial chemotaxis, and molecular mechanisms of virulence.
Antimicrobial Resistance Mechanisms
Resistance gene dissemination, efflux pump function, beta-lactamase variants, multidrug resistance, and molecular epidemiology of resistant organisms.
Virology & Viral Pathogenesis
Viral replication strategies, host immune evasion, emerging viral pathogens, viral genetics, and molecular diagnostic assays for viral infections.
Mycology & Fungal Infections
Fungal pathogenesis, antifungal resistance, molecular identification methods, invasive fungal disease mechanisms, and fungal diagnostics.
Parasitology & Protozoan Infections
Parasitic life cycles, host-parasite interactions, molecular detection methods, drug resistance mechanisms, and parasitic immune evasion.
Diagnostic Microbiology Innovation
Molecular diagnostics, rapid testing platforms, point-of-care technologies, mass spectrometry applications, and next-generation sequencing methods.
Host-Pathogen Interactions
Cellular microbiology, innate and adaptive immune responses, pathogen recognition, intracellular survival mechanisms, and bacterial toxin activity.
Microbial Ecology & Epidemiology
Microbiome research, environmental reservoirs, transmission dynamics, outbreak investigation, and molecular typing for epidemiological surveillance.
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Novel pathogen discovery, zoonotic infections, vector-borne diseases, pandemic preparedness, and characterization of newly identified microorganisms.
Editorial Board
Expert Microbiologists and Infectious Disease ResearchersIJCM's editorial board integrates leading experts from North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa, ensuring balanced global perspectives on microbiological research challenges. Editorial policies emphasize fairness, reproducibility, and actionable scientific insight, while associate editors manage specialized topic pipelines to maintain disciplinary excellence.
Explore the full editorial board roster and areas of expertise at the IJCM Editorial Board page.
All submissions undergo comprehensive screening for scope alignment and ethical compliance before entering IJCM's single-blind peer review process. Authors may request double-blind review when anonymity is essential to minimize bias. Reviews prioritize analytical rigor, methodological transparency, reproducibility, and scientific impact.
- Methodological Rigor: Reviewers evaluate study design, microbial culture techniques, molecular assay validation, statistical analysis, and adherence to microbiological best practices.
- Ethical Compliance: Manuscripts must document institutional ethics approvals, biosafety protocols, and adherence to relevant reporting standards (STROBE, STARD, ARRIVE).
- Transparency Standards: Mandatory plagiarism screening via iThenticate, conflict of interest disclosure, funding transparency, and data availability statements.
- Responsive Communication: Editorial decisions include clear rationales, revision guidance, and realistic timelines to support efficient manuscript preparation.
IJCM accepts diverse manuscript formats designed to accommodate different research outputs and communication needs within clinical microbiology. Authors should consult our comprehensive Instructions for Authors before preparing submissions.
- Original Research Articles Novel microbiological discoveries, experimental studies, and mechanistic investigations
- Review Articles Comprehensive syntheses of established and emerging microbiological topics
- Technical Notes Innovations in laboratory techniques, diagnostic methodologies, and microbial detection
- Short Communications Preliminary findings, rapid reports, and time-sensitive microbiological observations
- Case Reports Unique microbiological findings from laboratory diagnostics (NOT clinical management)
- Meta-Analyses & Systematic Reviews Data-driven evaluations of microbiological research evidence
- Commentaries Expert perspectives on significant microbiological developments and controversies
- Letters to the Editor Scientific discussions and responses to published microbiological research
IJCM's manuscript submission system is designed for efficiency and transparency. Authors can submit through the online submission portal or via email to [email protected]. The editorial team provides acknowledgment within 72 hours and maintains regular communication throughout the review process.
- Review Aims & Scope to ensure topical alignment with microbial science research
- Prepare manuscript according to formatting requirements including structured abstract, keywords, and reference style
- Draft cover letter summarizing novelty, methodological strengths, and ethical compliance (institutional approvals, biosafety protocols)
- Submit manuscript files, supplementary materials, figures, and data statements via the submission system
- Respond to reviewer comments with detailed point-by-point rebuttals; revised manuscripts typically assessed within 7-14 days
- Collaborate with production editors on copyediting, proof approval (48-hour response), and metadata verification before online publication
Authors requiring manuscript language refinement can access IJCM's language editing service. Research institutions and laboratories with high publication volumes can explore institutional membership packages that provide APC discounts and priority processing benefits.
IJCM publishes all content under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), allowing authors to retain copyright while enabling unrestricted reuse with appropriate attribution. This licensing model supports teaching, derivative works, grant compliance, and future publications.
Our data sharing policies encourage preprint deposition, institutional repository hosting, and dataset archiving in subject-specific repositories including GenBank, Dryad, Zenodo, and Figshare. Microbial strain collections should be deposited in recognized culture collections with accession numbers provided.
Article processing charges apply only after manuscript acceptance. Detailed pricing information, waiver eligibility criteria, and institutional agreements are available on the APC information page. Authors from low- and middle-income countries and early-career researchers are encouraged to contact the editorial office regarding fee support.
IJCM employs comprehensive indexing and discoverability strategies to ensure maximum visibility across specialist databases, academic search engines, and institutional repositories:
- Database Indexing: Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, Crossref, ResearchBib, Scilit, CiteFactor, IP Indexing, and specialized microbiology databases
- Library Networks: Catalogued by major research institutions and integrated into discovery systems worldwide
- Research Platforms: Disseminated via ResearchGate, Academia.edu, and discipline-specific scholarly networks
- Subject Collections: Curated thematic collections highlighting antimicrobial resistance, emerging pathogens, diagnostic innovation, and molecular microbiology
Authors can follow emerging research priorities, special issue announcements, and topical collections through the Call for Papers and current issue pages.
Researcher Testimonials
I want to record how easy it has been to send the manuscript to the IJCM journal, just attaching the files has been enough. The most important thing and to be appreciated has been the speed in responding if they accept it or not, less than a week. The review and correction process has taken another week, really very fast, easy and leaves a very good impression.
My experience with international journal of clinical microbiology was a great one. The journals team was very steadfast and responsive to me since the submission of my article and seemingly through all its steps towards its peer review, acceptance and publication. The team was very patient with me as I navigated through all these processes. Their timely feedback made it easy for me to also provide quick responses to their queries hence able to achieve my goals in good time altogether. My team and I hope to continue publishing more of our research outputs with them. I would definitely recommend this journal to my peers locally and internationally.
Advance Microbial Science with IJCM
Whether you investigate bacterial genetics, characterize novel pathogens, develop diagnostic assays, or study antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, IJCM provides a trusted publication platform. Partner with an editorial team committed to scientific rigor, methodological transparency, and global research impact.
