Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing Guides Clinical Treatment Decisions: From Empiric to Targeted Therapy
A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Antibiotics Use and Antimicrobial Stewardship".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 16
Special Issue Editors
2. Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
Interests: clinical microbiology; antimicrobial therapy; antimicrobial resistance
Interests: bacteremia; sepsis; MSSA/MRSA bacteremia; antimicrobial therapy
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Antibiotic resistance remains a global health challenge, reducing the effectiveness of both empiric and targeted therapies. Even infections caused by phenotypically susceptible strains can be difficult to treat due to pharmacodynamic factors, host variability, or infection site complexity. These issues are further complicated by rare pathogens and diagnostic limitations, which can delay or misguide treatment.
Effective infectious disease management increasingly relies on collaboration between clinical microbiologists, infectologists, and treating physicians. While antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) provides essential data on pathogen susceptibility, its clinical value lies in expert interpretation linking laboratory results to therapeutic decisions.
This Special Issue will highlight the critical interface between microbiology and clinical care, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in selecting appropriate antibiotics and shifting from empiric to individualized therapy.
We welcome contributions on advancements in AST methods, interpretation strategies, and case reports that demonstrate the role of microbiological examination in optimizing treatment and supporting antimicrobial stewardship. Submissions addressing infection-related mortality, the application of novel therapeutic options, and the clinical outcomes of susceptibility-guided therapy are also encouraged.
Dr. Jan Závora
Dr. Simona Arientová
Dr. Christopher K. C. Lai
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- antimicrobial susceptibility testing
- antimicrobial resistance
- empiric antimicrobial therapy
- targeted antimicrobial therapy
- clinical microbiology
- infectious diseases
- antimicrobial stewardship
- infectious disease management
- multidrug-resistant organisms
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