Journal Guide
Clinical Infectious Diseases Impact Factor 7.3: Publishing Guide
Infectious disease: diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiology
7.3
Impact Factor (2024)
~25-35%
Acceptance Rate
~90-120 days median
Time to First Decision
What Clin. Infect. Dis. Publishes
Clinical Infectious Diseases published by Oxford University Press is the premier journal for clinical infectious disease research. With JIF 7.3 and Q1 ranking in Infectious Diseases, CID emphasizes rigorous clinical research on infection diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. The journal publishes research on bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections. Critically: CID values research with clear clinical relevance and patient impact. Basic microbiology without clinical context is less competitive. The journal seeks papers advancing infection treatment and management.
- Bacterial infections: pneumonia, sepsis, endocarditis, meningitis
- Viral infections: HIV, influenza, COVID-19, viral hepatitis
- Fungal infections: invasive fungal disease, candidiasis, aspergillosis
- Parasitic infections: malaria, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases
- Antimicrobial resistance: resistance mechanisms, treatment strategies, surveillance
- Immunocompromised hosts: HIV/AIDS, transplant, cancer patients
- Infection prevention: vaccination, prophylaxis, infection control
- Epidemiology: disease transmission, outbreak investigation, risk factors
Editor Insight
“CID publishes clinical infectious disease advancing diagnosis and treatment. We seek rigorous studies with patient outcomes and clinical applicability.”
What Clin. Infect. Dis. Editors Look For
Clinical finding advancing infection diagnosis or treatment
Present finding improving patient outcomes. Better diagnostic test? Superior treatment? Prevention strategy? Show clinical impact with quantified benefits.
Rigorous clinical data with adequate patient cohort
Sufficient patient numbers and follow-up. Case series, cohort studies, or clinical trials with proper controls.
Mechanistic understanding of infection or treatment response
Explain mechanisms. Why does treatment work? What drives antibiotic resistance? What enables pathogenesis?
Patient outcomes and real-world clinical applicability
Show how findings affect patient outcomes. What does this mean for clinical practice?
Epidemiologic or public health significance
Address broader implications for disease control and population health.
Why Papers Get Rejected
These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Clin. Infect. Dis.'s editorial review:
Basic microbiology without clinical relevance
CID expects clinical significance. Bacterial or viral studies without patient or treatment connection insufficient.
Small case series without rigorous statistical analysis
Case series valuable but need proper analysis. Multiple patients, clear clinical outcomes, appropriate controls.
No discussion of patient outcomes or clinical implications
Connect to clinical practice. How do findings change patient management?
Inadequate follow-up or outcome documentation
Sufficient follow-up showing outcomes essential. Short-term data without long-term assessment weak.
Ignoring antimicrobial resistance or treatment feasibility
Address resistance patterns and practical treatment considerations.
Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?
The quick diagnostic reads your full manuscript against Clin. Infect. Dis.'s criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.
Insider Tips from Clin. Infect. Dis. Authors
COVID-19 and emerging infection research highly competitive
Clinical research on emerging pathogens and pandemic preparedness receives strong interest.
Antimicrobial resistance and novel antibiotics valued
Resistance mechanisms and new treatment strategies addressing resistance increasingly important.
HIV/AIDS and immunocompromised host research trending
Infection in special populations (HIV, transplant) increasingly prominent.
Real-world evidence and outcomes research gaining importance
Practical treatment outcomes in diverse patient populations increasingly valued.
Diagnostic innovation and rapid testing competitive
Faster, better, cheaper diagnostics have clinical impact.
The Clin. Infect. Dis. Submission Process
Manuscript preparation
Prep5,000-8,000 words with 5-7 figures. Include patient cohort description, infection characterization, diagnostic or treatment data, outcomes, mechanistic discussion.
Submission via Oxford system
Day 0Submit at https://academic.oup.com/cid/. Required: manuscript emphasizing clinical significance, figures showing patient data and outcomes.
Editorial assessment
1-2 weeksEditor assesses clinical novelty and significance. Papers lacking clinical context face rejection. Moderate desk rejection ~25-35%.
Peer review
90-120 days2-3 infectious disease experts assess clinical rigor, significance, and outcomes. First decision 90-120 days.
Revision and publication
Revision: 4-8 weeksRevisions often request additional outcome data or clinical clarification. Publication 2-4 weeks after acceptance.
Clin. Infect. Dis. by the Numbers
| 2024 Impact Factor | 6.2 |
| 5-Year Impact Factor | 6.5 |
| Acceptance rate | ~25-35% |
| Desk rejection rate | ~25-35% |
| Median first decision | ~105 days |
| Open access option | $3,500 USD |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Founded | 1995 |
Before you submit
Clin. Infect. Dis. accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.
The pre-submission diagnostic runs a live literature search, scores your manuscript section by section, and gives you a prioritized fix list calibrated to Clin. Infect. Dis.. ~30 minutes.
Article Types
Clinical Research
5,000-8,000 wordsInfectious disease research with clinical outcomes
Brief Report
2,500-4,000 wordsImportant clinical finding
Landmark Clin. Infect. Dis. Papers
Papers that defined fields and changed science:
- Antibiotic resistance treatment (various) - multidrug-resistant infections
- COVID-19 clinical trials (2020+) - pandemic therapeutics
- Immunocompromised host management (various) - opportunistic infections
Preparing a Clin. Infect. Dis. Submission?
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Primary Fields
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