Journal decision profile

Current Opinion in Microbiology

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine

Current Opinion in Microbiology's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.9, ranking Q1 in Genetics and 2 other subfields. Two-year citation average from OpenAlex data, updated August 2026.

Elsevier BVUnited KingdompISSN 1369-5274eISSN 1879-0364
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Bookmark this page — track observed submission-to-acceptance timing, FWCI and field-normalized citation data for this journal in one view.

Journal Metrics Score
i
Journal Metrics ScoreThe raw score is citations received in the latest complete year by works from the two previous years, divided by the number of those works. It is calculated from OpenAlex open data (CC0) and is not a percentage grade.
2026
6.9

Journal Metrics Score 2026 · 2021–2024 window citedness 9.00.

Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceCalendar days between the received and accepted dates reported in recent PubMed records. This interval includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
PUBMED
70 daysmedian

Middle 50%: 49–110 days

94 of 100 PubMed-indexed articles · 94% coverage · 2024–2025

Indicative APC
i
Indicative APCThis journal-level estimate comes from the OpenAlex source record. It is not a verified quote and may exclude taxes, waivers, society discounts, or article-type charges. Check the journal's official website before deciding.
OPENALEX · VERIFY
$3,800

Journal-level estimate only. Verify current charges, taxes, waivers, discounts, and article-type fees with the journal.

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Does your manuscript fit Current Opinion in Microbiology?

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At a glance

Journal decision profile

Each spoke is a 0–100 percentile within a comparable journal cohort—not a percentage grade or a single black-box rating.

Relative profile

Metrics ScoreThe raw 2026 Journal Metrics Score is the recent two-year citation average shown above. The radar converts it to a 0–100 cohort percentile: farther out means a higher score than more comparable journals. It is not a percentage grade.iSource outputThe raw rank compares lifetime output inside the journal’s leading-topic source set. The radar then compares that rank position across Decision Profile journals in the same primary OpenAlex field; when that field has too few profiles, it uses the broader profile set. Farther out means relatively more output, not better research quality.iTop 10% shareThe share of recent papers in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield. The radar converts that share to a 0–100 cohort percentile; it does not predict how a new paper will perform.iMedian FWCICitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected citation level for comparable papers; the radar shows its 0–100 cohort percentile.iSubmission-to-acceptanceCalendar days from the received date to the accepted date in recent PubMed records. This includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not the time to first decision and not pure peer-review time. The radar uses a 0–100 cohort percentile with shorter observed timing plotted farther out; it does not measure review quality.iOutput volumeAverage works published per year in the recent analysis window, converted to a 0–100 cohort percentile. Farther out means the journal publishes more papers; it does not mean those papers are better.i
Cost is intentionally excluded. Missing APC data is never converted to a zero-dollar fee or a fabricated cost score.

Raw values behind the shape

Always visible
Metrics Score
i
Metrics ScoreThe 2026 raw Journal Metrics Score shown above. The bar is its 0–100 percentile within the radar's comparable journal cohort; it is not a percentage score.
6.92026 · OPENALEX
Source output rank
i
Source output rankThis lifetime journal-wide output rank compares works published by the OpenAlex source with sources associated with the journal’s leading topic. More output does not mean higher quality.
#337 / 2,047LIFETIME OUTPUT
Highly cited papers
i
Highly cited papersShare of recent works in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield.
8.6%FIELD-NORMALIZED TOP 10%
Field-normalized impact
i
Field-normalized impactCitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected level for comparable work.
0.74MEDIAN FWCI
Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceReceived-to-accepted calendar days from qualified PubMed records. It includes editorial handling and author revisions; it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
70 daysIQR 49–110 DAYS
Recent output
i
Recent outputAverage works published per year across the complete analysis window. This is a volume measure, not a quality score.
119 / yr2021–2024 AVG
Field-normalized top 10% share8.6%

41 of 475 works · same type, year & subfield

Field-normalized top 1% share0%

0 works · same type, year & subfield

Median FWCI0.74×

Below field-year expectation

Source output rank#337

of 2,047 topic-associated OpenAlex sources by lifetime output

What does Median FWCI mean?

FWCI compares papers with the same publication year, type, and field. 1.0 is the world average; above 1.0 is above expectation. This journal's median is 0.74, so its typical recent paper runs about 26% below its field benchmark.

What does Top 10% Share mean?

8.6% of recent papers rank in the global top 10% after field normalization. This is easier to compare across specialties than raw citation totals.

Publishing pattern

Publication volume and article mix

Volume is separated from citation accumulation so newer papers are not presented as weaker simply because they are newer.

Works published by year

OpenAlex source records · 2016–2025

1462016
1762017
1022018
762019
1182020
1462021
972022
1182023
1152024
732025

Recent work-type mix

475 OpenAlex works · 2021–2024

Review87.8%
Editorial6.3%
Paratext5.1%
Article0.6%
Erratum0.2%
OpenAlex article is broader than “original research.” PubMed Publication Types can add case-report and clinical-study detail.
Fit signals

Topics and medical subject coverage

OpenAlex topics show research communities; MeSH keeps the medical taxonomy recognizable.

Major MeSH signals

PubMed-indexed works

Select a MeSH signal to see how much Current Opinion in Microbiology publishes on it, from PubMed counts for the last five complete years.

Leading OpenAlex topics

2021–2024 works
Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology72
Bacteriophages and microbial interactions35
Gut microbiota and health32
Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction19
Antifungal resistance and susceptibility16
Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research16
Malaria Research and Control14
Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis14
Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria13
Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing12
Methodology: OpenAlex snapshot 2026-10-20. FWCI, percentile badges, topics, and type mix use 475 works published 2021–2024. Radar normalization is versioned in the cached profile, and no cost score is assigned without reliable APC data.

Subject Category Quartiles

Quartiles computed within each OpenAlex subfield
CategoryQuartile
GeneticsQ1
EcologyQ1
Molecular BiologyQ1

Is Current Opinion in Microbiology a good journal?

Yes. A Q1 journal by citation data

Yes. By citation data, Current Opinion in Microbiology is a strong journal: it is Q1 in Genetics and 2 other subfields and ranks #284 of 3,784 Biology & Basic Science journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 8%). Current Opinion in Microbiology's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.9. Recent papers took a median of 70 days from submission to acceptance, according to PubMed dates. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $3,800 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Genetics, Ecology, and Molecular Biology, so check that your topic fits its scope.

Best quartile
Q1
Genetics
Rank in Biology & Basic Science
#284 of 3,784
Top 8%
2026 Journal Metrics Score
6.9
Acceptance rate
Not published
By the journal or publisher
Submission to acceptance
70 days
Median, PubMed records
Indicative APC
$3,800
OpenAlex, verify with the journal
Papers published in 2025
73
OpenAlex works

Check before you submit

  • Confirm the current article processing charge, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website; the OpenAlex figure is indicative.
  • Confirm the journal is indexed where your institution or funder requires (for example Scopus or PubMed) before you submit.

Verdict from citation data only: quartile and field rank by Journal Metrics Score (OpenAlex), publisher-reported acceptance rates, and PubMed submission and acceptance dates. See how we rank journals and how to verify indexing.

Q1
Subfield Quartile
B2
CAS Block

Ranking and source check

#284
of 3,784 Biology & Basic Science field journals
#284
among Q1 Biology & Basic Science journals

Confirm the exact title and ISSNs against the publisher homepage before a high-stakes submission decision.

Journal Details

OpenAlex Works
3,496
H-Index
247
Fully Open Access
No
Recent OA Works
1,093
Subject Areas
GeneticsEcologyMolecular Biology

Source: the current OpenAlex source record. OpenAlex works can include multiple work types. Fully Open Access is a source-level flag. Recent OA Works is summed from OpenAlex's counts_by_year series (up to the latest ten years); it is not a lifetime OA percentage. Any APC shown here is an indicative OpenAlex value—verify current charges on the journal's official website.

How to submit to Current Opinion in Microbiology

  1. 1

    Check the scope

    OpenAlex classifies Current Opinion in Microbiology's papers in subfields including Genetics, Ecology, and Molecular Biology. Read the aims and scope page and a few recent papers close to your topic before you prepare the manuscript.

  2. 2

    Follow the author guidelines

    Article types, word and figure limits, reference style, and the required statements (data availability, ethics, conflicts of interest, author contributions) are set by the journal. Prepare the cover letter and files to match them.

    Current Opinion in Microbiology homepage ↗
  3. 3

    Submit through Editorial Manager

    Most Elsevier and Cell Press journals take submissions through Editorial Manager; each journal has its own site, reached from Submit your article on the journal homepage.

  4. 4

    Plan for costs

    OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $3,800 USD. Check the current fee, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website.

  5. 5

    Know what to expect

    Recent accepted papers took a median of 70 days from submission to acceptance, including revisions (PubMed dates). Current Opinion in Microbiology does not publish an acceptance rate.

Submission system from the publisher's author information, checked 2026-10-27. Individual journals can differ, so follow the link in the journal's own author guidelines.

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Common questions about Current Opinion in Microbiology

Is Current Opinion in Microbiology a good journal?

Yes. By citation data, Current Opinion in Microbiology is a strong journal: it is Q1 in Genetics and 2 other subfields and ranks #284 of 3,784 Biology & Basic Science journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 8%). Current Opinion in Microbiology's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.9. Recent papers took a median of 70 days from submission to acceptance, according to PubMed dates. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $3,800 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Genetics, Ecology, and Molecular Biology, so check that your topic fits its scope.

What is Current Opinion in Microbiology's Journal Metrics Score in 2026?

Current Opinion in Microbiology's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.9, from the August 2026 data release. The score is a two-year citation average computed from OpenAlex (CC0) data: citations received in the most recent complete year to works published in the two prior years, divided by the number of those works.

What is the acceptance rate of Current Opinion in Microbiology?

We have not found an official acceptance rate published by Current Opinion in Microbiology or its publisher, and Journal Metrics does not estimate one because submission counts are not public. What recent PubMed records do show is speed: accepted papers took a median of 70 days from submission to acceptance. To judge selectivity, compare Current Opinion in Microbiology's quartile and score with similar journals, or ask the editorial office.

What quartile is Current Opinion in Microbiology in?

Current Opinion in Microbiology's best quartile is Q1. By OpenAlex subfield: Q1 in Genetics; Q1 in Ecology; Q1 in Molecular Biology. Quartiles rank journals by Journal Metrics Score within each subfield.

Is the Journal Metrics Score the same as other journal citation metrics?

No. Journal Metrics computes the score independently from OpenAlex open data. Other providers use different citation databases, document types, and counting rules, so their published figures for Current Opinion in Microbiology will not match this score exactly. Compare journals using one source at a time.

How long does Current Opinion in Microbiology take from submission to acceptance?

Across 94 recent PubMed records with both dates, Current Opinion in Microbiology took a median of 70 days from submission to acceptance; the middle half took 49–110 days. This interval includes editorial handling and revisions, so it is not the time to a first decision.

How much does it cost to publish in Current Opinion in Microbiology?

OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $3,800 USD for Current Opinion in Microbiology. This journal-level estimate may exclude taxes, waivers, discounts, or article-type fees, so confirm the current charge on the journal's website.

Which journals are alternatives to Current Opinion in Microbiology?

Comparable journals include Annual Review of Microbiology, Fems Microbiology Reviews, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, and Critical Reviews in Microbiology. Compare their scores, acceptance times, and costs in the recommended alternatives on this page before choosing where to submit.

How do I submit a paper to Current Opinion in Microbiology?

Most Elsevier and Cell Press journals take submissions through Editorial Manager; each journal has its own site, reached from Submit your article on the journal homepage. Before submitting, check the scope, follow the author guidelines for article type, length, and required statements, and prepare a cover letter. Accepted papers took a median of 70 days from submission to acceptance in recent PubMed records.

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