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Antibiotics
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Epidemiology, Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Therapy: A Shared Effort against...
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Epidemiology, Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Therapy: A Shared Effort against Infectious Diseases, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Antibiotic Therapy in Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2026 | Viewed by 154

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francesca Pica

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Guest Editor
Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier, 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
Interests: microbiology; epidemiology, pathogenesis and control of healthcare-associated infections; antibiotic resistance; natural and synthetic compounds with antimicrobial activity; immunosuppression and immunomodulators; biofilms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Fabio Ingravalle

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Guest Editor
Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier, 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
Interests: health service planning; applied epidemiology; outcome evaluation and risk management; healthcare-associated infections (HAI); antibiotic resistance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the success of the first volume of the Special Issue “Epidemiology, Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Therapy: A Shared Effort against Infectious Diseases”, we are pleased to announce the launch of its second edition. As a continuation of the Special Issue, this second volume will focus on emerging challenges, innovative strategies, and integrated approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of infectious diseases in an increasingly complex global context.

While we watch with concern the increasing global socioeconomic and political tensions resulting in dangerous conflicts with an uncertain future, and in view of the depletion of financial resources supporting research worldwide, today more than ever we are all called upon to contribute to ensuring that the progress made in the human sciences and healthcare is not wasted and to implement our efforts to be ready to face future challenges

It has been predicted that by 2050, antibiotic resistance will become the leading cause of death globally, with estimates predicting up to 10 million deaths annually. This "silent pandemic" could surpass mortality from cancer and cardiovascular disease, rendering current treatments for common infections ineffective.

Ever more convinced of the great value of a collaborative partnership between the various professionals involved in basic and clinical research, we welcome new contributions to the second edition of this Special Issue on the most recent results of research in the fields of epidemiology, microbiology, pharmacology, and infectious diseases.

Dr. Francesca Pica
Dr. Fabio Ingravalle
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbes and antimicrobials
  • bacteria, fungi and viruses
  • antibiotics, antifungals and antivirals
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • rapid diagnostics
  • genotypic and phenotypic resistance
  • epidemiology
  • public health
  • infectious diseases
  • hospital-acquired infections (HAIs)
  • community infections
  • natural and synthetic antimicrobial compounds

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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17 pages, 2553 KB  
Article
Expanding Diagnostic Options for Pediatric Meningitis: BCID2 Testing Results on Cerebrospinal Fluid After a Negative Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel
by Venere Cortazzo, Lorenza Romani, Gianluca Vrenna, Maia De Luca, Marilena Agosta, Martina Rossitto, Valeria Fox, Barbara Lucignano, Manuela Onori, Stefania Mercadante, Vito Tommaso, Laura Lancella, Stefania Bernardi, Mara Pisani, Alessandra Salvatori, Alberto Villani, Massimiliano Raponi, Carlo Federico Perno and Paola Bernaschi
Antibiotics 2026, 15(5), 519; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15050519 - 21 May 2026
Abstract
Background: Rapid etiological diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is crucial in children, as delays can lead to neurological sequelae. The BioFire FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis (ME) panel is widely used on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), but its target spectrum may miss healthcare-associated or multidrug-resistant pathogens. We evaluated [...] Read more.
Background: Rapid etiological diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is crucial in children, as delays can lead to neurological sequelae. The BioFire FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis (ME) panel is widely used on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), but its target spectrum may miss healthcare-associated or multidrug-resistant pathogens. We evaluated the diagnostic performance and stewardship-oriented clinical impact of off-label BioFire FilmArray Blood Culture Identification 2 (BCID2) testing on CSF from pediatric patients with suspected bacterial CNS infection and negative ME results. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed CSF samples collected between January 2023 and March 2025 at a tertiary pediatric hospital. In ME-negative cases with persistent suspicion and abnormal CSF parameters, BCID2 was performed off-label on residual CSF aliquots after routine testing, without additional sampling. We assessed pathogen detection, agreement with culture, resistance-gene identification, and documented stewardship actions. Results: Among 76 ME-negative CSF samples tested with BCID2, 23 (30.3%) were positive, all involving organisms not included in the ME panel. BCID2 was concordant with culture in 19/23 cases (82.6%); 4/23 (17.4%) were BCID2-positive/culture-negative, consistent with reduced culture sensitivity in frequently pretreated cases. Resistance genes (VIM, vanA/B, CTX-M) were detected in 30.4% of BCID2-positive samples. Overall agreement with culture was 94.7% (PPA 100%, NPA 93.0%). Escalation was documented in 13/23 episodes (56.5%), discontinuation in 2/23 (8.7%), and confirmation in 9/23 (39.1%), with no de-escalation events; clinical outcomes were not systematically available. Conclusions: In selected ME-negative pediatric cases with abnormal CSF profiles, BCID2 testing on residual CSF provided rapid, clinically meaningful microbiological information that may support antimicrobial optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology, Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Therapy: A Shared Effort against Infectious Diseases, 2nd Edition)
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8 pages, 1685 KB  
Case Report
Severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia During the 2023–2024 European Re-Emergence: Why Severity Does Not Predict Macrolide Resistance
by Enrico Perugini, Ludovica Ferrari, Marco Iannetta, Barbara Bartolini, Valentina Dimartino, Marco Favaro, Carla Fontana and Loredana Sarmati
Antibiotics 2026, 15(5), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15050524 - 21 May 2026
Abstract
Background: Following a significant decline during the 2020–2021 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) experienced a resurgence across Europe in 2023–2024. Although macrolide-resistant MP has increased globally, severe disease can occur even in the absence of resistance, which highlights the importance of rapid molecular [...] Read more.
Background: Following a significant decline during the 2020–2021 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) experienced a resurgence across Europe in 2023–2024. Although macrolide-resistant MP has increased globally, severe disease can occur even in the absence of resistance, which highlights the importance of rapid molecular characterization for clinical purposes. In this context, clinical severity is often improperly used as a surrogate marker of macrolide resistance, potentially driving unnecessary antibiotic escalation. Methods: We report a severe MP pneumonia occurring during the 2023–2024 resurgence and evaluate macrolide resistance through a rapid two-step workflow (Real Time-PCR screening for A2063G/A2064G followed by confirmatory 23S rRNA sequencing), to assess whether severity predicts resistance and to support antibiotic stewardship. Results: The patient developed acute hypoxic respiratory failure (PaO2 54.9 mmHg; P/F ratio 110), extensive centrilobular micronodules on chest CT imaging, significant systemic inflammation and elevated liver enzymes. Respiratory support was escalated from a Venturi mask to a high-flow nasal cannula and BiPAP. MP infection was confirmed by multiplex Real Time-PCR (RT-PCR) and supported by positive IgM/IgG serology. RT-PCR targeting A2063G/A2064G mutations revealed no resistance-associated variants, and Sanger sequencing of an 807 bp 23S rRNA fragment confirmed a wild-type genotype. Despite severe hypoxemic respiratory failure, no resistance-associated variants were detected, documenting a clear severity–genotype mismatch. Clinical and radiological improvement followed second-line antibiotic therapy. Conclusions: Severe MP pneumonia can occur despite the absence of macrolide resistance. During MP re-emergence, clinical severity should not be used to infer macrolide resistance. Integrating nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) diagnosis with rapid genotyping/confirmatory 23S rRNA sequencing can prevent misclassification, reduce unwarranted broad-spectrum escalation, and strengthen antimicrobial stewardship decisions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology, Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Therapy: A Shared Effort against Infectious Diseases, 2nd Edition)
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