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Infectious Diseases: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Under Antimicrobial Resistance Global...
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Infectious Diseases: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Under Antimicrobial Resistance Global Urgency

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbiology in Human Health and Disease".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 2505

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Célia F. Rodrigues

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Translational Toxicology Research Laboratory, University Institute of Health Sciences (1H-TOXRUN, IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, PRD, Portugal
2. LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: biofilms; polymicrobial; infections; antimicrobial resistance; alternative treatment; candida
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) presents an urgent global challenge in the fight against infectious diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Once-treatable infections are now becoming harder to manage as pathogens have evolved to resist common antimicrobial agents. This growing threat calls for a holistic approach for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Prevention is the frontline defense in slowing the spread of resistant infections. Vaccination programs, improved hygiene, and strict infection control measures are essential in reducing transmission, while public health campaigns encourage responsible antibiotic use. In both healthcare and agriculture, limiting unnecessary antibiotic exposure is critical to slowing resistance. Rapid, precise diagnostic tools are needed to accurately identify infections, distinguishing between bacterial, fungal, or viral origins. This allows for more targeted treatments, reducing the misuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics, which drive resistance.

As AMR spreads, the available treatments become increasingly complex. The shrinking effectiveness of existing antimicrobials emphasizes the need for new drugs and alternative therapies. Research into combination therapies, natural compounds, phage therapy, and innovative immunotherapies holds promise for treating resistant infections. In the meantime, antibiotic stewardship programs help optimize the use of current treatments, ensuring that they remain effective for as long as possible.

The AMR crisis demands global cooperation across sectors, from healthcare to agriculture, to safeguard the future of infectious disease management. We can only prevent a post-antibiotic era from becoming a reality through a coordinated, multidisciplinary effort. This Special Issue aims to focus on all these key points.

Dr. Célia F. Rodrigues
Guest Editor

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 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

  • AMR
  • infectious diseases
  • bacteria
  • fungi
  • alternative treatment

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 409 KB  
Article
Clinical Implications of Bacteremia Caused by Non-baumannii Acinetobacter Compared with Those of Acinetobacter baumannii Bacteremia
by Jin Woong Suh, Ji Young Hong, Keun Ju Kim, Duck Jin Hong and Sun Bean Kim
Biomedicines 2025, 13(9), 2304; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13092304 - 20 Sep 2025
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Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to compare clinical characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility, and 28-day mortality between patients with Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia (ABB) and non-baumannii Acinetobacter bacteremia (NBAB) after rapid matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) species identification. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed [...] Read more.
Objectives: This study aimed to compare clinical characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility, and 28-day mortality between patients with Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia (ABB) and non-baumannii Acinetobacter bacteremia (NBAB) after rapid matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) species identification. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of adult ABB and NBAB patients over >7 years. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for 28-day mortality. Results: Of 273 episodes of Acinetobacter species bacteremia, 224 (82.1%) were ABB and 49 (17.9%) were NBAB. NBA isolates were predominantly A. nosocomialis (49%), with smaller proportions of A. bereziniae, A. junii, A. ursingii, and others. The primary sites of infection in NBAB cases were the intra-abdomen, urinary tract, intravascular catheters, and lungs. While only 4.0% of A. baumannii isolates were susceptible to carbapenem, 87.8% of non-baumannii Acinetobacter isolates were susceptible. Multivariate analysis revealed that low carbapenem resistance was independently associated with NBAB. Additionally, a higher Pitt bacteremia score, septic shock, continuous renal replacement therapy, inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy, and thrombocytopenia were independent risk factors for the 28-day mortality in patients with ABB. Conclusions: Although less common than ABB, NBAB cases are increasing and exhibit lower carbapenem resistance. Rapid MALDI-TOF MS identification enables timely and appropriate antibiotic treatment. The key factors driving the 28-day mortality include illness severity, septic shock, renal replacement therapy, inappropriate antibiotics, and thrombocytopenia, highlighting the need for early risk assessments and tailored management. Ongoing surveillance and species-specific strategies are essential for combating resistant Acinetobacter infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Diseases: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Under Antimicrobial Resistance Global Urgency)
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12 pages, 2639 KB  
Article
Interspecies Interactions of Single- and Mixed-Species Biofilms of Candida albicans and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans
by Adèle Huc, Andreia S. Azevedo, José Carlos Andrade and Célia Fortuna Rodrigues
Biomedicines 2025, 13(8), 1890; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13081890 - 3 Aug 2025
Viewed by 693
Abstract
Polymicrobial biofilms involving fungal and bacterial species are increasingly recognized as contributors to persistent infections, particularly in the oral cavity. Candida albicans and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans are two commensals that can turn into opportunistic pathogens and are able to form robust biofilms. Objectives: [...] Read more.
Polymicrobial biofilms involving fungal and bacterial species are increasingly recognized as contributors to persistent infections, particularly in the oral cavity. Candida albicans and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans are two commensals that can turn into opportunistic pathogens and are able to form robust biofilms. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the interaction dynamics between these two microorganisms and to evaluate their susceptibility to fluconazole and azithromycin in single- and mixed-species forms. Methods: Biofilm biomass was quantified using crystal violet assays, while biofilm cell viability was assessed through CFU enumeration (biofilm viability assay). To assess the resistance properties of single versus mixed-species coincubations, we applied the antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) to each drug, and analysed spatial organization with confocal laser scanning microscopy, using PNA-FISH. Results: The results indicated that both species can coexist without significant mutual inhibition. However, a non-reciprocal synergism was also observed, whereby mixed-species biofilm conditions promoted the growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans, while C. albicans growth remained stable. As expected, antimicrobial tolerance was elevated in mixed cultures, likely due to enhanced extracellular matrix production and potential quorum-sensing interactions, contributing to increased resistance against azithromycin and fluconazole. Conclusions: This study provides novel insights into previously rarely explored interactions between C. albicans and A. actinomycetemcomitans. These findings underscore the importance of investigating interspecies interactions within polymicrobial biofilms, as understanding their mechanisms, such as quorum-sensing molecules and metabolic cooperation, can contribute to improved diagnostics and more effective targeted therapeutic strategies against polymicrobial infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Diseases: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Under Antimicrobial Resistance Global Urgency)
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16 pages, 1709 KB  
Article
Intra- and Interspecies Conjugal Transfer of Plasmids in Gram-Negative Bacteria
by Julia R. Savelieva, Daria A. Kondratieva and Maria V. Golikova
Biomedicines 2025, 13(1), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13010238 - 20 Jan 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Plasmid-mediated resistance is a significant mechanism that contributes to the gradual decrease in the efficacy of antibiotics from various classes, including carbapenems. The aim of this study is to investigate the frequency of transfer of carbapenemase-encoding plasmids from K. pneumoniae to E. [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Plasmid-mediated resistance is a significant mechanism that contributes to the gradual decrease in the efficacy of antibiotics from various classes, including carbapenems. The aim of this study is to investigate the frequency of transfer of carbapenemase-encoding plasmids from K. pneumoniae to E. coli and P. aeruginosa. Methods: Matings were performed on agar with subsequent isolation of transconjugant, recipient, and donor colonies. The frequency of conjugation (CF) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of meropenem were determined for the PCR-confirmed transconjugants. A pharmacodynamic study was conducted using a hollow-fiber infection model on E. coli transconjugant in order to evaluate its viability in the presence of therapeutic concentrations of meropenem. Results: CF for K. pneumoniae-K. pneumoniae was similar to that for K. pneumoniae-E. coli and was higher the higher was meropenem MIC of the K. pneumoniae donor. The meropenem MICs for K. pneumoniae and E. coli transconjugants were higher (0.25–4 μg/mL) compared to recipients (0.03–0.06 μg/mL). P. aeruginosa did not acquire plasmids from K. pneumoniae. In pharmacodynamic experiments, an E. coli transconjugant with MIC of 2 mg/L within the “susceptibility range”, failed to respond to meropenem treatment. Conclusions: The frequency of conjugation between K. pneumoniae and E. coli falls within a similar range. A higher permissiveness of K. pneumoniae for plasmids from K. pneumoniae, i.e., within the same species, was observed. Conjugation did not occur between K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa. The transconjugants with meropenem MICs with borderline susceptibility may pose a potential threat to the efficacy of meropenem. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Diseases: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Under Antimicrobial Resistance Global Urgency)
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