Peer Review Process

• All manuscripts undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process involving the editorial board and external expert reviewers.
• Authors and peer-reviewers are asked to submit their articles and reports via our online Editorial Manager System. An online help guide is available to assist with using this system. Author Guide Video and Reviewer Guide Video.
• The process begins with an initial assessment by the Editor-In-Chief or Co-Editor-In-Chief to determine suitability for the Microbes and Infectious Diseases Journal.
• All new submissions are screened for plagiarism using Crossref Similarity Check (powered by iThenticate). The Editor-In-Chief may also run similarity reports at any stage of the review process or post-publication. Authors can pre-screen their work using iThenticate or other similarity check program.
• If a manuscript is deemed of interest, it is assigned to an associate editor, who serves as the principal reviewing editor. The handling editor invites at least two independent expert reviewers, who remain blinded to the authors' identities, to evaluate the manuscript, suggest revisions, and provide their comments/opinions on its acceptability.
• Reviewers are encouraged to follow a systematic approach, guided by the "COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers" (available at: https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines-new/cope-ethical-guidelines-peer-reviewers).
• Based on the recommendations from the reviewing editor and external reviewers, the Editor-In-Chief makes the final decision to accept, request minor or major revisions, or reject the manuscript. If revisions are needed, authors must address the reviewers' and editors' comments. A second and subsequent review process(es) may follow. Upon final acceptance, authors are notified via email, and the manuscript undergoes a free linguistic and grammatical edit by the language Editor to guarantee clarity and accuracy.
• After the linguistic edit, the galley proof prepared by the Page Designer is sent as a WORD file to the corresponding author for final corrections, and must be returned within two working days.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Microbes and Infectious Diseases adhere to Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, prepared by ICMJE.

• All manuscripts must be reviewed with full respect for the confidentiality of the authors. Disclosure of confidential details during the review process can violate authors' rights. Reviewers also have a right to confidentiality, which must be respected by the editor. Confidentiality may only be breached if dishonesty or fraud is suspected; otherwise, it must be maintained.
• Editors must not disclose information about manuscripts—including their receipt, content, status in the review process, reviewers' critiques, or final disposition—to anyone other than the authors and reviewers. This includes any requests to use the materials for legal proceedings.
• Reviewers are not allowed to make copies of the manuscript for their files or share it with others without the editor's permission.
• Reviewer comments should not be published or otherwise disclosed without the permission of the reviewer, author, and editor.

Timing

• The Microbes and Infectious Diseases Editorial Board is dedicated to making rapid editorial decisions and publications.
• We ask reviewers to respond promptly within the agreed timeframe.
• Authors can expect the first decision within 2-4 weeks of submission, and the final decision within 6-8 weeks.
  
  
  

Figure. The path of peer-review process in Microbes and Infectious Diseases.