Analysis of Antibiotic Consumption Trends and Pathogens’ Epidemiological Profile Within a Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital from Romania
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Results
2.1. Overall Antibiotic Consumption
2.2. Access Group Consumption
2.3. Watch Group Consumption
2.4. Reserve Group Consumption
2.5. The Relative Frequency of Pathogens in Positive Samples
2.6. ESKAPE Pathogens Across Clinical Specimens
3. Discussion
4. Materials and Methods
4.1. Study Design
4.2. Antibiotic Consumption, Classification and DDDs
4.3. Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) Determination
4.4. Microbiological Data Processing
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| AAPC | Annual Average Percentage Change |
| AMR | Antimicrobial resistance |
| ATC | Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system |
| AWaRe | Access Watch Reserve antibiotics classification |
| BPPL | Bacterial Priority Pathogen List |
| COVID-19 | Coronavirus Disease 2019 |
| CR | Carbapenem-Resistant |
| CRAB | Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii |
| CRPA | Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa |
| DDD | Defined Daily Dose |
| ESBL | Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase |
| ESKAPE | Bacteria group: Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter spp. |
| GLASS | Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System |
| MDR | Multidrug-Resistant |
| MRSA | Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus |
| VRE | Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus |
| WHO | World Health Organization |
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| Class | ATC Code | Antibiotic Substance (Administration Route) | DDD/100 Bed Days | AAPC (95% CI) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
| aminoglycosides | J01GB06 | amikacin | 1.69 | 1.64 | 1.80 | 1.27 | 1.20 | −8.98 (−16.28;−1.42) |
| aminoglycosides | J01GB03 | gentamicin | 0.38 | 0.37 | 0.41 | 0.31 | 0.25 | −10.00 (−20.11;0.86) |
| cephalosporins G1 | J01DB04 | cefazolin | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 10.41 | 24.98 | 3712.95 (17.99;112,239.48) |
| imidazolidines | J01XD01 | metronidazole (o) | 0.09 | 0.08 | 0.04 | 0.02 | 0.03 | −30.17 (−49.37;−4.22) |
| imidazolidines | J01XD01 | metronidazole (p) | 1.40 | 1.70 | 1.53 | 1.12 | 1.10 | −8.64 (−26.58;13.65) |
| lincosamides | J01FF01 | clindamycin (o) | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 * | 0.01 | −0.88 (−32.99;40.84) |
| lincosamides | J01FF01 | clindamycin (p) | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 153.64 (−27.88;748.60) |
| penicillins | J01CA04 | amoxicillin | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.08 | −19.15 (−69.24;105.66) |
| penicillins | J01CR02 | amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (p) | 0.90 | 0.94 | 0.79 | 0.84 | 0.94 | −0.14 (−8.16;8.36) |
| penicillins | J01CR02 | amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (o) | 0.25 | 0.14 | 0.14 | 0.22 | 0.14 | −7.69 (−35.37;30.66) |
| penicillins | J01CA01 | ampicillin (p) | 0.51 | 0.39 | 0.27 | 0.42 | 0.40 | −3.99 (−18.42;12.65) |
| penicillins | J01CF04 | oxacillin | 0.63 | 0.06 | 0.21 | 0.18 | 0.38 | 0.15 (−61.16;153.04) |
| sulfonamides | J01EE01 | sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (o) | 0.17 | 0.24 | 0.24 | 0.08 | 0.20 | −7.22 (−34.32;30.72) |
| tetracyclines | J01AA02 | doxycycline | 0.15 | 0.44 | 0.22 | 0.16 | 0.53 | 15.74 (−51.64;170.62) |
| Total Access | 6.26 | 6.08 | 5.72 | 15.06 | 30.24 | 50.05 (−7.72;141.07) | ||
| Class | ATC Code | Antibiotic Substance (Administration Route) | DDD/100 Bed Days | AAPC (95% CI) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
| carbapenems | J01DH03 | ertapenem | 5.11 | 5.46 | 4.22 | 3.47 | 3.64 | −10.70 (−22.57;2.77) |
| carbapenems | J01DH51 | imipenem/cilastatin | 0.25 | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.04 | 0.07 | −29.07 (−45.98;−7.64) |
| carbapenems | J01DH02 | meropenem | 4.47 | 5.15 | 6.37 | 6.74 | 6.91 | 12.08 (3.71;20.74) |
| cephalosporins G2 | J01DC02 | cefuroxime (o) | 1.92 | 1.71 | 1.68 | 1.41 | 1.24 | −10.10 (−12.63;−7.65) |
| cephalosporins G2 | J01DC02 | cefuroxime (p) | 27.85 | 31.35 | 35.50 | 21.05 | 0.06 | −71.49 (−97.24;178.50) |
| cephalosporins G3 | J01DD02 | ceftazidime | 0.46 | 0.41 | 0.40 | 0.17 | 0.08 | −35.36 (−61.26;5.93) |
| cephalosporins G3 | J01DD04 | ceftriaxone | 6.74 | 6.18 | 6.44 | 11.09 | 19.48 | 31.10 (−20.49;114.35) |
| fluoroquinolones | J01MA02 | ciprofloxacin (o) | 0.20 | 0.16 | 0.19 | 0.15 | 0.14 | −6.57 (−13.00;0.01) |
| fluoroquinolones | J01MA02 | ciprofloxacin (p) | 0.05 | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.03 | −9.99 (−29.80;14.55) |
| fluoroquinolones | J01MA12 | levofloxacin (o) | 0.14 | 0.18 | 0.50 | 0.27 | 0.14 | 3.45 (−49.51;93.99) |
| fluoroquinolones | J01MA12 | levofloxacin (p) | 1.23 | 1.36 | 1.55 | 2.29 | 2.09 | 17.03 (6.31;28.23) |
| fluoroquinolones | J01MA14 | moxifloxacin (o) | 0.01 | 0.05 | 0.08 | 0.10 | 0.05 | 43.16 (−8.77;122.70) |
| fluoroquinolones | J01MA14 | moxifloxacin (p) | 0.15 | 0.11 | 0.11 | 0.63 | 0.25 | 32.43 (−31.35;150.26) |
| glycopeptides | J01XA02 | teicoplanin | 0.45 | 0.37 | 0.42 | 0.13 | 0.21 | −22.84 (−45.45;7.95) |
| glycopeptides | J01XA01 | vancomycin | 1.37 | 1.99 | 2.60 | 2.78 | 3.61 | 25.55 (11.70;40.64) |
| macrolides | J01FA10 | azithromycin (o) | 0.06 | 0.10 | 0.38 | 0.28 | 0.15 | 34.85 (−39.81;193.64) |
| macrolides | J01FA09 | clarithromycin (o) | 0.22 | 0.23 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.10 | −24.65 (−53.13;19.66) |
| macrolides | J01FA09 | clarithromycin (p) | 0.37 | 0.15 | 0.11 | 0.08 | 0.12 | −24.89 (−40.14;−4.94) |
| penicillins | J01CR05 | piperacillin/tazobactam | 1.23 | 1.27 | 1.66 | 1.65 | 1.12 | 0.73 (−24.55;33.95) |
| phosphonics | J01XX01 | fosfomycin (o) | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 4.34 (−8.62;18.32) |
| Total Watch | 52.31 | 56.43 | 62.46 | 52.46 | 39.54 | −6.13 (−26.00;18.89) | ||
| Class | ATC Code | Antibiotic Substance (Administration Route) | DDD/100 Bed Days | AAPC (95% CI) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
| monobactams | J01DF01 | aztreonam | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 0.06 | 255.02 (−58.49;2617.07) |
| cephalosporins G5 | J01DI54 | ceftolozane/tazobactam | 0.01 | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 0.12 | 0.07 | 96.00 (−3.52;325.68) |
| cephalosporins G3 | J01DD52 | ceftazidime/avibactam | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.02 | 0.05 | 0.26 | 63.13 (−7.50;181.07) |
| cephalosporins G5 | J01DI02 | ceftaroline | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 0.03 | 207.96 (−54.19;1775.60) |
| polymyxins | J01XB01 | colistin | 0.36 | 0.34 | 0.68 | 0.46 | 0.30 | −1.14 (−29.40;37.18) |
| phosphonics | J01XX01 | fosfomycin (p) | 0.01 * | 0.01 * | 0.01 | 0.08 | 0.04 | 549.59 (15.47;3416.68) |
| oxazolidinones | J01XX08 | linezolid (p) | 2.17 | 2.03 | 3.06 | 2.66 | 2.43 | 5.06 (−10.25;22.13) |
| tetracyclines | J01AA12 | tigecycline | 0.56 | 0.60 | 0.86 | 0.91 | 0.76 | 10.65 (−9.34;34.31) |
| Total Reserve | 3.12 | 3.02 | 4.62 | 4.28 | 3.93 | 8.44 (−8.58;27.78) | ||
| Bacterial Species | Number of Isolates (Relative Frequency Among Positive Samples, %) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Overall 2020–2024 | |
| Staphylococcus spp. | 216 (24.94) | 201 (21.00) | 175 (23.21) | 238 (24.49) | 153 (21.70) | 983 (23.11) |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 201 (23.21) | 178 (18.60) | 160 (21.22) | 211(21.71) | 124 (17.59) | 874 (20.55) |
| Other staphylococci | 15 (1.73) | 23 (2.40) | 15 (1.99) | 27 (2.7) | 29 (4.11) | 109 (2.56) |
| Escherichia coli | 173 (19.98) | 178 (18.60) | 159 (21.09) | 186 (19.14) | 177 (25.11) | 873 (20.52) |
| Klebsiella spp. | 174 (20.09) | 170 (17.76) | 150 (19.89) | 184 (18.93) | 131 (18.58) | 809 (19.02) |
| Klebsiella pneumoniae | 65 (7.51) | 37 (3.87) | 83 (11.01) | 177 (18.21) | 103 (14.61) | 465 (10.93) |
| Other species | 109 (12.59) | 133 (13.90) | 67 (8.89) | 7 (0.72) | 28 (3.97) | 344 (8.09) |
| Enterococcus spp. | 111 (12.82) | 150 (15.67) | 97 (12.86) | 90 (9.26) | 71 (10.07) | 519 (12.20) |
| Enterococcus faecalis | 5 (0.58) | 50 (5.22) | 71 (9.42) | 62 (6.38) | 50 (7.09) | 238 (5.59) |
| Enterococcus faecium | 12 (1.39) | 32 (3.34) | 20 (2.65) | 24 (2.47) | 18 (2.55) | 106 (2.49) |
| Other enterococci | 94 (10.85) | 68 (7.11) | 6 (0.80) | 4 (0.41) | 3 (0.43) | 175 (4.11) |
| Pseudomonas spp. | 61 (7.05) | 69 (7.21) | 53 (7.03) | 102 (10.49) | 49 (6.95) | 334 (7.85) |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | 56 (6.47) | 68 (7.11) | 51 (6.76) | 101 (10.39) | 47 (6.67) | 323 (7.59) |
| Other species | 5 (0.58) | 1 (0.10) | 2 (0.27) | 1 (0.10) | 2 (0.28) | 11 (0.26) |
| Proteus spp. | 29 (3.35) | 53 (5.54) | 55 (7.29) | 74 (7.61) | 47 (6.67) | 258 (6.06) |
| Proteus mirabilis | 4 (0.46) | 1 (0.10) | 12 (1.59) | 70 (7.20) | 43 (6.10) | 130 (3.06) |
| Other species | 25 (2.89) | 52 (5.43) | 43 (5.70) | 4 (0.41) | 4 (0.57) | 128 (3.01) |
| Streptococcus spp. | 32 (3.70) | 28 (2.93) | 19 (2.52) | 32 (3.29) | 7 (0.99) | 118 (2.77) |
| A-group streptococci | 8 (0.92) | 3 (0.31) | 1 (0.13) | 10 (1.03) | 1 (0.14) | 23 (0.54) |
| B-group streptococci | 12 (1.39) | 14 (1.46) | 6 (0.80) | 7 (0.72) | 0 (0.00) | 39 (0.92) |
| C,D,G-groups streptococci | 6 (0.69) | 2 (0.21) | 5 (0.66) | 5 (0.51) | 5 (0.71) | 23 (0.54) |
| Other streptococci | 6 (0.69) | 9 (0.94) | 7 (0.93) | 10 (1.03) | 1 (0.14) | 33 (0.78) |
| Stenotrophomonas maltophilia | 8 (0.92) | 30 (3.13) | 16 (2.12) | 13 (1.34) | 15 (2.13) | 82 (1.93) |
| Enterobacter spp. | 12 (1.39) | 28 (2.93) | 10 (1.33) | 18 (1.85) | 12 (1.70) | 80 (1.88) |
| Enterobacter cloacae | 7 (0.81) | 11 (1.15) | 9 (1.19) | 11 (1.13) | 5 (0.71) | 43 (1.01) |
| Other species | 5 (0.58) | 17 (1.78) | 1 (0.13) | 7 (0.72) | 7 (0.99) | 37 (0.87) |
| Acinetobacter spp. | 18 (2.08) | 21 (2.19) | 7 (0.93) | 7 (0.72) | 8 (1.13) | 61 (1.43) |
| Acinetobacter baumannii | 15 (1.73) | 19 (1.99) | 7 (0.93) | 7 (0.72) | 6 (0.85) | 54 (1.27) |
| Other species | 3 (0.35) | 2 (0.21) | 0 (0.00) | 0 (0.00) | 2 (0.28) | 7 (0.16) |
| Morganella spp. | 7 (0.81) | 10 (1.04) | 4 (0.53) | 4 (0.41) | 7 (0.99) | 32 (0.75) |
| Citrobacter spp. | 7 (0.81) | 6 (0.63) | 1 (0.13) | 2 (0.21) | 11 (1.56) | 27 (0.63) |
| Citrobacter freundii | 1 (0.12) | 1 (0.10) | 1 (0.13) | 1 (0.10) | 5 (0.71) | 9 (0.21) |
| Citrobacter koseri | 2 (0.23) | 4 (0.42) | 0 (0.00) | 0 (0.00) | 4 (0.57) | 10 (0.24) |
| Other species | 4 (0.46) | 1 (0.10) | 0 (0.00) | 1 (0.10) | 2 (0.28) | 8 (0.19) |
| Providencia spp. | 2 (0.23) | 4 (0.42) | 1 (0.13) | 3 (0.31) | 2 (0.28) | 12 (0.28) |
| Providencia stuartii | 1 (0.12) | 0 (0.00) | 1 (0.13) | 2 (0.21) | 1 (0.14) | 5 (0.12) |
| Other species | 1 (0.11) | 4 (0.42) | 0 (0.00) | 1 (0.10) | 1 (0.14) | 7 (0.16) |
| Moraxella spp. | 3 (0.35) | 0 (0.00) | 0 (0.00) | 1 (0.10) | 1 (0.14) | 5 (0.12) |
| Other pathogens | 13 (1.50) | 9 (0.94) | 7 (0.93) | 18 (1.85) | 14 (1.99) | 61 (1.43) |
| other staphylococci: S. epidermidis, S. warneri, S. haemolyticus, S. capitis urealyticus, S. saprophyticus, S. lugdunensis; other Klebsiella: K. oxytoca, K. ozaenae, K. aerogenes, K. variicola; other enterococci: E. gallinarum, E. avium, E. casseliflavus, E. raffinosus; other Pseudomonas: P. fluorescens, P. mendocina, P. stutzeri; other Proteus: P. vulgaris, P. hauseri, P. penneri; other streptococci: S. viridans, S. mutans, S. intermedius, S. bovis, S. anginosus; S. parasanguinis, S. constellatus, S. pneumoniae; other Enterobacter: E. hormaechei, E. kobei, E. bugandensis; other Acinetobacter: A. lwoffli, A. haemolyticus, A. usingii; other Citrobacter: C. youngae, C. brakii, C. amalonaticus; other Providencia: P. retgerii, P. rustigianii; other pathogens: Serratia marcescens, Burkholderia spp. (cepacia, gladioli), Bacteroides spp. (fragilis, vulgatus), Haemophilus spp. (influenzae, parainfluenzae), Prevotella bivia, Salmonella enterica, Micrococcus luteus, Gardnerella vaginalis, Corynebacterium striatum. | ||||||
| Bacterial Species | Number of Isolates (Relative Frequency of Resistant Isolates, %) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Overall 2020–2024 | |
| Acinetobacter baumannii | 15 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 54 |
| MDR | 5 (33.33) | 0 (0.00) | 4 (57.14) | 6 (85.71) | 1 (16.67) | 16 (29.63) |
| Enterobacter spp. | 12 | 28 | 10 | 18 | 12 | 80 |
| ESBL | 1 (8.33) | 8 (28.57) | 2 (20.00) | 3 (16.67) | 2 (16.67) | 16 (20.00) |
| Enterococcus spp. | 111 | 150 | 97 | 90 | 71 | 519 |
| VRE | 3 (2.70) | 2 (1.33) | 5 (5.15) | 5 (5.56) | 10 (14.08) | 25 (4.82) |
| Escherichia coli | 173 | 178 | 159 | 186 | 177 | 873 |
| ESBL | 22 (12.72) | 32 (17.98) | 33 (20.75) | 40 (21.51) | 34 (19.21) | 161 (18.44) |
| Klebsiella spp. | 174 | 170 | 150 | 184 | 131 | 809 |
| ESBL | 96 (55.17) | 55 (32.35) | 73 (48.67) | 81 (44.02) | 45 (34.35) | 350 (43.26) |
| Pseudomonas spp. | 61 | 69 | 53 | 102 | 49 | 334 |
| CR | 3 (4.92) | 6 (8.70) | 12 (22.64) | 17 (16.67) | 7 (14.29) | 45 (13.47) |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 201 | 178 | 160 | 211 | 124 | 874 |
| MRSA | 47 (23.38) | 43 (24.16) | 39 (24.38) | 61 (28.91) | 35 (28.23) | 225 (25.74) |
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Ungureanu, A.-R.; Dumitru, A.-A.; Ozon, E.-A.; Rogoz, A.-T.; Anghel, R.-N.; Ciucu, E.; Fița, A.-C.; Blebea, N.-M. Analysis of Antibiotic Consumption Trends and Pathogens’ Epidemiological Profile Within a Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital from Romania. Antibiotics 2026, 15, 288. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15030288
Ungureanu A-R, Dumitru A-A, Ozon E-A, Rogoz A-T, Anghel R-N, Ciucu E, Fița A-C, Blebea N-M. Analysis of Antibiotic Consumption Trends and Pathogens’ Epidemiological Profile Within a Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital from Romania. Antibiotics. 2026; 15(3):288. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15030288
Chicago/Turabian StyleUngureanu, Andreea-Roxana, Andreea-Alina Dumitru, Emma-Adriana Ozon, Andrei-Tudor Rogoz, Raluca-Narcisa Anghel, Elena Ciucu, Ancuța-Cătălina Fița, and Nicoleta-Mirela Blebea. 2026. "Analysis of Antibiotic Consumption Trends and Pathogens’ Epidemiological Profile Within a Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital from Romania" Antibiotics 15, no. 3: 288. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15030288
APA StyleUngureanu, A.-R., Dumitru, A.-A., Ozon, E.-A., Rogoz, A.-T., Anghel, R.-N., Ciucu, E., Fița, A.-C., & Blebea, N.-M. (2026). Analysis of Antibiotic Consumption Trends and Pathogens’ Epidemiological Profile Within a Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital from Romania. Antibiotics, 15(3), 288. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15030288

