Advancements in the Control and Diagnosis of Antimicrobial Resistance in Infectious Diseases

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 3216

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Daejeon & Chungcheong reference Lab., Seegene Medical Foundation, Daejeon 35203, Republic of Korea
Interests: molecular microbiology; antimicrobial resistance; infectious diseases

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Guest Editor
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
Interests: antimicrobial resistance; therapeutic drug monitoring; antimicrobial stewardship; vaccines; prosthetic-device-related infections; infective endocarditis; infections in patients with heart diseases and pneumonia

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global increase in antimicrobial and antiviral resistance poses a significant threat to human efforts to combat infectious diseases. The importance of proper stewardship in addressing antimicrobial and antiviral resistance is becoming increasingly evident. Understanding the mechanisms underlying antimicrobial and antiviral resistance, as well as developing advanced laboratory diagnostics for early detection, is crucial for effectively controlling and preventing these resistance phenomena.

For this Special Issue, we invite research contributions addressing the following themes:

  1. Epidemiology of antimicrobial and antiviral resistance;
  2. Viral infection in immunocompromised patients;
  3. Control and prevention of antimicrobial and antiviral resistance;
  4. Strategies of antimicrobial stewardship to combat antimicrobial and antiviral resistance;
  5. Advanced laboratory diagnostics of antimicrobial and antiviral resistance;
  6. Mechanism of antimicrobial resistance antiviral resistance.

Dr. Soyoun Shin
Dr. Alicia Galar
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • infectious diseases
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • laboratory diagnostics

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 532 KiB  
Article
Conventional Antimicrobial and Medicinal Plants from a Traditional Medicine Market in South Africa: An Interactive Antimicrobial and Toxicity Study
by Zelna Booth, Sabiha Essack and Sandy van Vuuren
Antibiotics 2025, 14(5), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14050512 - 15 May 2025
Viewed by 162
Abstract
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed the use of integrative medicine to achieve extended healthcare coverage in developing countries facing high morbidity. Traditional remedies are frequently employed to prevent and treat infections among South Africans; however, the ways in which they [...] Read more.
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed the use of integrative medicine to achieve extended healthcare coverage in developing countries facing high morbidity. Traditional remedies are frequently employed to prevent and treat infections among South Africans; however, the ways in which they interact with conventional antimicrobials are largely unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the interactions between commonly traded medicinal plants at a traditional medicine market in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, and conventional antibiotics and antifungals. Methods: To determine the interactive antimicrobial profiles for plant/conventional antimicrobial combinations, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays were performed against ESKAPE pathogens and the yeasts Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Calculated fractional inhibitory concentration (ΣFIC) values were used to identify synergism or antagonism, with synergistic interactions further tested in vitro for toxicity. Results: A total of 952 combinations were tested, of which 5.8% and 54.6% of the plant/antibiotic combinations were synergistic and antagonistic, respectively; additionally, 1.7% and 58.6% of the plant/antifungal combinations showed synergism or antagonism, respectively. The most toxic plant/antibiotic combination was Artemisia afra with doxycycline (71.1% mortality). The most toxic plant/antifungal combination was Acorus calamus with fluconazole (78.8% mortality). Conclusions: When medicinal plants acquired from a traditional medicine market in South Africa are used in combination with conventional antibiotics and antifungals, more than half of the combinations exhibit antagonism, which is concerning. Full article
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16 pages, 817 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Antibiotic Resistance in Childhood Campylobacter Infections Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Southeast Region of Romania
by Cristina Chiurtu, Elena Mocanu, Bogdan Florentin Nitu, Ana Maria Iancu, Cristina Maria Mihai, Mara Andreea Cambrea, Raluca Mihai, Mihaela Mavrodin, Anca Daniela Pînzaru and Ramona Mihaela Stoicescu
Antibiotics 2025, 14(2), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14020170 - 10 Feb 2025
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Abstract
The world has changed forever as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Antimicrobial resistance is a primary global health concern that places a significant financial and health burden on nations. Patients with Campylobacter-caused infections were the subject of the retrospective investigation. The data [...] Read more.
The world has changed forever as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Antimicrobial resistance is a primary global health concern that places a significant financial and health burden on nations. Patients with Campylobacter-caused infections were the subject of the retrospective investigation. The data show that children aged 1–6 are the most commonly affected by Campylobacter enteritis. Resistance levels fluctuated over the course of the two periods. Nine isolates were sensitive to macrolides, and only one was responsive to tetracycline, which indicated inadequate sensitivity across all classes throughout the pandemic. This pattern raises serious concerns about the potential impact on public health. Tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones rank highest in terms of bacterial resistance. Regardless of the species, macrolides remain a practical and sufficient treatment for Campylobacter enteritis. Reassurance is still provided by much lower numbers in the post-pandemic period. There is no evidence to support the alarming claims made in the international literature about macrolides in Romania. Full article
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12 pages, 282 KiB  
Article
Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (and Its Resistance to Ciprofloxacin): Validation of a Molecular Biology Tool for Rapid Diagnosis and Treatment
by María Paz Peris, Henar Alonso, Cristina Escolar, Alexander Tristancho-Baró, María Pilar Abad, Antonio Rezusta and Ana Milagro
Antibiotics 2024, 13(11), 1011; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13111011 - 28 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1624
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis can cause similar clinical syndromes and may coexist in infections. In emergency medicine, empirical treatment targeting both pathogens is often employed, potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance. Gonococcal resistance has emerged against first-line antimicrobials, necessitating [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis can cause similar clinical syndromes and may coexist in infections. In emergency medicine, empirical treatment targeting both pathogens is often employed, potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance. Gonococcal resistance has emerged against first-line antimicrobials, necessitating prior testing for fluoroquinolone susceptibility. Certest Biotec developed two molecular diagnostic products for simultaneous detection: VIASURE C. trachomatis & N. gonorrhoeae Real-Time PCR Detection Kit and VIASURE Neisseria gonorrhoeae Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Real-Time PCR Detection Kit. To evaluate these products, clinical performance assessments were conducted at the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of Miguel Servet University Hospital in Zaragoza, Spain. Results and Conclusions: Both VIASURE assays under study demonstrated high clinical sensitivity and specificity compared to reference molecular assays and Sanger sequencing. These kits offer an accurate diagnosis, facilitating appropriate treatment choices while addressing concerns about emerging antibiotic resistance. Methods: A total of 540 clinical samples from 540 patients already characterized as positive or negative for CT and NG by a molecular assay and by antibiotic susceptibility testing for ciprofloxacin using a concentration gradient diffusion method were used for the clinical evaluation. In cases where sensitivity results were unavailable, conventional PCR and Sanger sequencing were employed. Full article
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