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Antibiotics
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Antibiotics Research in Europe
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Antibiotics Research in Europe

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2022) | Viewed by 16052

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Athanasios Tsakris

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Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology, Medical School University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Interests: antimicrobial resistance; mechanisms of resistance; infection control; antimicrobial stewardship; investigation of microbial outbreaks
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Liset van Dijk

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Nivel, Netherlands Institute of Health Services Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
2. Department of PharmacoTherapy, Epidemiology & Economics (PTEE), Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Interests: rational prescribing and use; pharmacy practice research; primary care; adherence to medication
Dr. Primrose Beryl Gladstone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Internal Medicine I, Universitätsklinikum Tubingen, Tübingen, Germany
Interests: epidemiological analysis; antimicrobial resistance; antibiotic consumptiopn; antimicrobial stewardship; infectious disease epidemiology; infectious diseases; clinical epidemiology; epidemiology and public health; epidemiologic methods; epidemiologic studies; statistical analyses; systematic reviews; meta-analysis; epidemiological statistics; cohort studies; observational studies; One Health Initiative

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on European Research in the area of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance. As European researchers, we are part of a great history of contribution to the field of novel antibiotic developments and research in a broad sense on antimicrobial resistance and rational use of antibiotics. Through this Special Edition, we have an excellent opportunity to highlight, in a collective package, the strength of European research in this area.

The scope of this Special Issue includes Reviews and Original Articles within the scope of the journal, including but not limited to, the following:

  • Advances in research on new and current antimicrobial agents;
  • Antimicrobial stewardship;
  • Antibiotic resistance and resistance genes;
  • Uses of antibiotics, including in animals and in agriculture;
  • Clinical trials;
  • New methods for assaying and evaluating antibiotics;
  • Production and characterization of antibiotics;
  • Infectious diseases;
  • Natural antibiotics;
  • Prescribing sciences and pharmacy practice research

Prof. Dr. Athanasios Tsakris
Prof. Dr. Liset van Dijk
Dr. Primrose Beryl Gladstone
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

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  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 823 KiB  
Article
Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, Multidrug-Resistant Bacteremia and Infection Control Interventions in an Intensive Care Unit: Analysis of Six-Year Time-Series Data
by Amalia Papanikolopoulou, Helena C. Maltezou, Athina Stoupis, Anastasia Pangalis, Christos Kouroumpetsis, Genovefa Chronopoulou, Yannis Kalofissoudis, Evangelos Kostares, Fotini Boufidou, Maria Karalexi, Vasiliki Koumaki, Nikos Pantazis, Athanasios Tsakris and Maria Kantzanou
Antibiotics 2022, 11(8), 1128; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11081128 - 19 Aug 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2771
Abstract
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) occurs more than 48h after mechanical ventilation and is associated with a high mortality rate. The current hospital-based study aims to investigate the association between VAP rate, incidence of bacteremia from multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, and infection control interventions in a [...] Read more.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) occurs more than 48h after mechanical ventilation and is associated with a high mortality rate. The current hospital-based study aims to investigate the association between VAP rate, incidence of bacteremia from multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, and infection control interventions in a single case mix ICU from 2013 to 2018. Methods: The following monthly indices were analyzed: (1) VAP rate; (2) use of hand hygiene disinfectants; (3) isolation rate of patients with MDR bacteria; and (4) incidence of bacteremia/1000 patient-days (total cases, total carbapenem-resistant cases, and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae cases separately). Results: Time trends of infection control interventions showed increased rates in isolation of patients with MDR pathogens (p <0.001) and consumption of hand disinfectant solutions (p =0.001). The last four years of the study an annual decrease of VAP rate by 35.12% (95% CI: −53.52 to −9.41; p =0.01) was recorded, which significantly correlated not only with reduced trauma and cardiothoracic surgery patients (IRR:2.49; 95% CI: 2.09–2.96; p <0.001), but also with increased isolation rate of patients with MDR pathogens (IRR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.27–0.99; p = 0.048), and hand disinfectants use (IRR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.18–0.89; p =0.024). Conclusions: Infection control interventions significantly contributed to the decrease of VAP rate. Constant infection control stewardship has a stable time-effect and guides evidence-based decisions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antibiotics Research in Europe)
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12 pages, 536 KiB  
Article
Descriptive Analysis of Adverse Drug Reactions Reports of the Most Consumed Antibiotics in Portugal, Prescribed for Upper Airway Infections
by Joana Ferreira, Ana Isabel Placido, Vera Afreixo, Inês Ribeiro-Vaz, Fátima Roque and Maria Teresa Herdeiro
Antibiotics 2022, 11(4), 477; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11040477 - 2 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3486
Abstract
Adverse drug reactions (ADR) significantly impact mortality and morbidity and lead to high healthcare costs. Reporting ADR to regulatory authorities allows for monitoring the safety and efficacy profile of medicines on the market and for assessing the benefit–risk ratio. This retrospective study aims [...] Read more.
Adverse drug reactions (ADR) significantly impact mortality and morbidity and lead to high healthcare costs. Reporting ADR to regulatory authorities allows for monitoring the safety and efficacy profile of medicines on the market and for assessing the benefit–risk ratio. This retrospective study aims to characterize the ADR profile of the most consumed antibiotics in Portugal that are prescribed for upper airway infections and submitted to the EudraVigilance database. The variables were analyzed in an exploratory perspective, through absolute and relative frequencies, with emphasis on serious ADR. A total of 59,022 reports were analyzed of which 64.4% were classified as suspected serious ADR. According to serious ADR, the female sex (52.2%) and 18–64 age group (47.5%) prevail. Health professionals reported 87.8% of suspected serious ADR and European Economic Area (EEA) countries represented 50.8% of the reports. “Skin and subcutaneous tissue connections” (15.9%), “general disorders and administrations site conditions” (12%), and “gastrointestinal disorders” (9.8%) are the prevalent system organ classes. In 4.5% of the reports, patients had a fatal outcome. A periodic evaluation of the safety of the antibiotic should be performed to facilitate the development of guidelines and policies to reduce the frequency of serious ADR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antibiotics Research in Europe)
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9 pages, 248 KiB  
Article
Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Causative Agents to Ocular Infections
by Roberta Manente, Biagio Santella, Pasquale Pagliano, Emanuela Santoro, Vincenzo Casolaro, Anna Borrelli, Mario Capunzo, Massimiliano Galdiero, Gianluigi Franci and Giovanni Boccia
Antibiotics 2022, 11(4), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11040463 - 30 Mar 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2879
Abstract
Bacterial ocular infections are a worldwide health problem and, if untreated, can damage the structure of the eye and contribute to permanent disability. Knowledge of the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the main causative agents involved in ocular infections is necessary for [...] Read more.
Bacterial ocular infections are a worldwide health problem and, if untreated, can damage the structure of the eye and contribute to permanent disability. Knowledge of the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the main causative agents involved in ocular infections is necessary for defining an optimal antibiotic therapy. The aim of this study was to analyse bacterial species involved in ocular infections and the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Conjunctival swab samples were collected from patients with bacterial conjunctivitis at the University Hospital San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona between January 2015 and December 2019. The identification and antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed using the VITEK 2 system. A total of 281 causative agents of ocular infections were isolated, 81.8% of which were Gram-positive bacteria. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were the most commonly isolated species among Gram-positive bacteria, followed by Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast, Pseudomonas spp. and Escherichia coli were the main species isolated among Gram-negative bacteria (18.2%). Overall, linezolid, teicoplanin, tigecycline and vancomycin were the most effective antimicrobials. Analysis of resistance rates over time highlighted increasing resistance for azithromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin among CoNS, and clindamycin and erythromycin among Staphylococcus aureus. This study has identified the profiles of the major pathogens involved in ocular infection and their susceptibility patterns, which will help improve the treatments and the choice of antibiotics in ocular infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antibiotics Research in Europe)
12 pages, 1553 KiB  
Article
Antibiotic Prescribing in Dutch Daytime and Out-of-Hours General Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Database Study
by Karin Hek, Lotte Ramerman, Yvette M. Weesie, Anke C. Lambooij, Maarten Lambert, Marianne J. Heins, Janneke M. T. Hendriksen, Robert A. Verheij, Jochen W. L. Cals and Liset van Dijk
Antibiotics 2022, 11(3), 309; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11030309 - 25 Feb 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3194
Abstract
COVID-19 restrictions have resulted in major changes in healthcare, including the prescribing of antibiotics. We aimed to monitor antibiotic prescribing trends during the COVID-19 pandemic in Dutch general practice, both during daytime and out-of-hours (OOH). Routine care data were used from 379 daytime [...] Read more.
COVID-19 restrictions have resulted in major changes in healthcare, including the prescribing of antibiotics. We aimed to monitor antibiotic prescribing trends during the COVID-19 pandemic in Dutch general practice, both during daytime and out-of-hours (OOH). Routine care data were used from 379 daytime general practices (DGP) and 28 OOH-services over the period 2019–2021. Per week, we analyzed prescription rates per 100,000 inhabitants, overall, for respiratory and urinary tract infections (RTIs and UTIs) specifically and within age categories. We assessed changes in antibiotic prescribing during different phases of the pandemic using interrupted time series analyses. Both at DGPs and OOH-services significantly fewer antibiotics were prescribed during the COVID-19 pandemic after government measures became effective. Furthermore, the number of contacts decreased in both settings. When restrictions were revoked in 2021 prescription rates increased both at DGP and OOH-services, returning to pre-pandemic levels at OOH-services, but not in DGP. Changes in antibiotic prescribing rates were prominent for RTIs and among children up to 11 years old, but not for UTIs. To conclude, while antibiotic prescribing decreased during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic both in daytime and out-of-hours, the pandemic does not seem to have a lasting effect on antibiotic prescribing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antibiotics Research in Europe)
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12 pages, 574 KiB  
Article
Use of Antibiotics among Residents Living Close to Poultry or Goat Farms: A Nationwide Analysis in The Netherlands
by Inge Roof, Wim van der Hoek, Lisette Oude Boerrigter, Cornelia C. H. Wielders and Lidwien A. M. Smit
Antibiotics 2021, 10(11), 1346; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10111346 - 4 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2392
Abstract
Prior regional studies found a high risk of pneumonia for people living close to poultry and goat farms. This epidemiological study in the Netherlands used nationwide antibiotic prescription data as a proxy for pneumonia incidence to investigate whether residents of areas with poultry [...] Read more.
Prior regional studies found a high risk of pneumonia for people living close to poultry and goat farms. This epidemiological study in the Netherlands used nationwide antibiotic prescription data as a proxy for pneumonia incidence to investigate whether residents of areas with poultry and goat farms use relatively more antibiotics compared to areas without such farms. We used prescription data on antibiotics most commonly prescribed to treat pneumonia in adults and livestock farming data, both with nationwide coverage. Antibiotic use was expressed as defined daily doses per (4-digit Postal Code (PC4) area)-(age group)-(gender)-(month) combination for the year 2015. We assessed the associations between antibiotic use and farm exposure using negative binomial regression. The amoxicillin, doxycycline, and co-amoxiclav use was significantly higher (5–10% difference in use) in PC4 areas with poultry farms present compared to areas without, even after adjusting for age, gender, smoking, socio-economic status, and goat farm presence. The adjusted models showed no associations between antibiotic use and goat farm presence. The variables included in this study could only partly explain the observed regional differences in antibiotic use. This was an ecological study that precludes inference about causal relations. Further research using individual-level data is recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antibiotics Research in Europe)
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