Journal profile · Infectious Diseases
Infection
ISSN 0300-8126 · eISSN 1439-0973 · Springer Berlin Heidelberg · GERMANY · Bimonthly · Founded 1973
Infection: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.91; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,790; median 69 days to acceptance (114 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 261 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Infection is published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg and is in Zone 3 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Antibiotics Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy, Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria and Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections, together about 27.3% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The primary aim of Infection is to be a forum for the presentation and discussion of clinically relevant information on infectious diseases for readers and contributors from all over the world. Articles deal with the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases in the outpatient as well as in the inpatient setting. Public health issues of local, regional or international importance related to infectious diseases are featured, as well as progress and problems in hospital epidemiology. The main contents of the journal include original articles describing results of research projects, brief reports on new observations that enhance the knowledge of clinicians, and state-of-the-art reviews on topics that are relevant to physicians diagnosing or treating infectious diseases. Case reports describing new infectious etiologies or clinical manifestations are also welcome. Finally, the correspondence section is open to readers who want to respond to articles published in Infection or to succinctly present information to the general readership. Because infectious diseases often present with characteristic clinical pictures that can be seen upon inspection and because imaging and microscopy are an essential part of infection diagnosis, the “Images” section of Infection was created to focus on high-quality pictures with short texts in abstract form.The content of Infection covers several fields, as represented in the various sections of the board of editors, which range from clinical infectious diseases in general to pediatric infectious diseases, clinical microbiology and diagnostics, healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial use, healthcare quality, fungal infections, and viral infections, including the broad fields of HIV and viral hepatitis. Parasitic infections, international health and travel medicine are among the journal’s newest focus areas.Infection adheres to a high standard of quality for all published material. Each article undergoes a peer-review process. At the same time the editors aim to keep the interval between submission and publication as short as possible. For articles describing particularly timely or important new findings, accelerated peer-review and fast-track publication options are made available.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Infectious Diseases
Editor-in-chief Johannes BognerPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Germany 22, Italy 11, United States 9, Switzerland 3, Austria 2 (58 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Antibiotics Pharmacokinetics and EfficacyMedicine11.4%
- Antibiotic Resistance in BacteriaBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology9.7%
- Pneumonia and Respiratory InfectionsMedicine6.3%
- Antimicrobial Resistance in StaphylococcusMedicine5.6%
- Urinary Tract Infections ManagementMedicine5.3%
- Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility TestingBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5%
- Streptococcal Infections and TreatmentsMedicine4.1%
- Antibiotic Use and ResistanceImmunology and Microbiology3.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Infectious Diseases | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Infectious Diseases | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Infectious Diseases | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINEEmbaseCASCAB AbstractsCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, AGRICOLA, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS, Semantic Scholar
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.91LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.9Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.4LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.09LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.23LetPub ·
- h-index
- 66LetPub ·
- h-index
- 119OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,662OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.1OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 73.19%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 219LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher)
- 2,025Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 1,500,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 8,064 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 245 | 136 | 79 |
| 2025 | 261 | 182 | 853 |
| 2024 | 296 | 218 | 2,356 |
| 2023 | 186 | 152 | 2,172 |
| 2022 | 230 | 182 | 3,485 |
| 2021 | 189 | 147 | 5,276 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
69 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 43 days – 105 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 14 days (114 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 85 days
- Sample
- 114 articles with submission and acceptance dates (567 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,790 / EUR 3,790 / GBP 2,990 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted14, with length limits
- addendumAddendum: Original papers, lectures, or summaries of lectures or conference papers, and open studies supported by a society, health authority or companies are p…Length not stated
- brief reportResearch (Clinical and Epidemiological Study): Original papers are full-length reports of original research. They should contain no more than 35,000 characters …Length not stated
- case reportResearch (Clinical and Epidemiological Study): Original papers are full-length reports of original research. They should contain no more than 35,000 characters …Length not stated
- correspondenceLetters to the Editor are encouraged. Letters may report new or important observations or provide comments or criticisms pertaining to developments in infectiou…references ≤ 5
- correspondence (letter to the editor)Correspondence (Letter to the Editor): Letters to the Editor are encouraged. Letters may report new or important observations or provide comments or criticisms …Length not stated
- editorialResearch (Clinical and Epidemiological Study): Original papers are full-length reports of original research. They should contain no more than 35,000 characters …Length not stated
- imageImage: The Image article format is intended to provide classic images of common and of infrequently encountered infectious diseases.Length not stated
- mini reviewResearch (Clinical and Epidemiological Study): Original papers are full-length reports of original research. They should contain no more than 35,000 characters …Length not stated
- original paperResearch (Clinical and Epidemiological Study): Original papers are full-length reports of original research. They should contain no more than 35,000 characters …Length not stated
- original researchResearch (Clinical and Epidemiological Study): Original papers are full-length reports of original research. They should contain no more than 35,000 characters …Length not stated
- research (clinical and epidemiological study)Research (Clinical and Epidemiological Study): Original papers are full-length reports of original research. They should contain no more than 35,000 characters …Length not stated
- reviewResearch (Clinical and Epidemiological Study): Original papers are full-length reports of original research. They should contain no more than 35,000 characters …Length not stated
- review articleResearch (Clinical and Epidemiological Study): Original papers are full-length reports of original research. They should contain no more than 35,000 characters …Length not stated
- supplementSupplement: See Addendum above. Published separately and distributed to all subscribers.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Plagiarism, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Competing Interests
Authors are requested to disclose interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Interests within the last 3 years of beginning the work (conducting the research and preparing the work for submission) should be reported. Interests outside the 3-year time frame must be disclosed if they could reasonably be perceived as influencing the submitted work. Disclo…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Ethical standards
COPE member; follows COPE guidelines on misconduct. Model summary
Manuscripts submitted for publication must contain a statement to the effect that all human and animal studies have been approved by the appropriate ethics committee and have therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. It should also be stated clearly in the text that all persons gave their informed conse…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Infection, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Plagiarism
May use software to screen for plagiarism. Model summary
Important note: the journal may use software to screen for plagiarism.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1973
- ISSN
- 0300-8126
- Electronic ISSN
- 1439-0973
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 54, Issue 4 (August 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Infection
What CAS zone is Infection in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Infection is in Zone 3 of Medicine, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Infectious Diseases. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Infection?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.91; CiteScore 7.4, h-index 119.
How long does peer review take at Infection?
Based on the dates recorded on 114 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 69 days (interquartile range 43–105 days); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Infection?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Infection based?
Of the 58 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (22), Italy (11) and United States (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Infection?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Infection is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE, Embase, CAS, CAB Abstracts and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Infection open access, and what is the APC?
Infection is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,790.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .