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Hospital-Acquired Infections: Evolving Threats and Epidemiological Insights

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 February 2026 | Viewed by 49

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
2. School of Public Health, Gray Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Interests: infectious diseases; infection control and prevention; antibiotic resistance; healthcare epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hospital-acquired infections are a major global challenge, significantly impacting patient outcomes and clinical care across healthcare systems. This Special Issue aims to present cutting-edge research and practical insights into the evolving epidemiology and clinical impact of HAIs. We invite submissions that utilize hospital-based data, evaluate infection prevention strategies, or apply novel and interdisciplinary approaches to reduce transmission and improve patient safety at the point of care.

We particularly welcome studies that inform clinical decision-making, track resistance mechanisms, and support outbreak response. Clinical investigations into the role of antimicrobial stewardship, infection control practices, and healthcare infrastructure in shaping HAI outcomes are also encouraged.

The Special Issue seeks to connect global epidemiological trends with clinical implications across diverse care settings. By combining data-driven epidemiology with clinical practice, the collection aims to support evidence-based strategies that improve patient care and reduce complications.

Dr. Amir Nutman
Guest Editor

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. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 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

  • hospital-acquired infections
  • healthcare-associated infections
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO)
  • infection prevention and control
  • outbreak investigation
  • patient safety
  • healthcare epidemiology

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

10 pages, 336 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Obesity on Clostridioides difficile Infection Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study
by Alaa Atamna, Manar Khalaila, Tanya Babich, Anan Zriek, Haim Ben Zvi, Gida Ayada, Avishay Elis, Jihad Bishara and Amir Nutman
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(15), 5459; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14155459 (registering DOI) - 3 Aug 2025
Abstract
Background: Studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between high body mass index (BMI) and an increased risk of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), independent of antibiotic usage or healthcare exposures. Aim: To compare the outcomes of obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and [...] Read more.
Background: Studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between high body mass index (BMI) and an increased risk of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), independent of antibiotic usage or healthcare exposures. Aim: To compare the outcomes of obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and non-obese (BMI < 30 kg/m2) hospitalized patients with CDI. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with CDI hospitalized in Beilinson hospital between January 2013 and January 2020. The primary outcome was 90-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included 30-day mortality, colectomy, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and length of hospital stay (LOS). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify the risk factors independently associated with 90-day mortality. Results: The study included 889 patients: 131 (15%) obese and 758 (85%) non-obese. The obese group was younger (median age 65 years vs. 73 years (p < 0.01)) and with a higher rate of diabetes mellitus (57/131 (44%) vs. 180/758 (24%) (p < 0.01)). The 90-day mortality was lower in the obese group: 19/131 (15%) vs. 170/752 (23%) (p = 0.04). The 30-day mortality was 8/131 (6%) vs. 96/757 (13%) (p = 0.03). ICU admission was 9/131 (7%) vs. 23/758 (3%) (p = 0.03), and median LOS was 19 vs. 12 days (p < 0.01) in obese and non-obese groups, respectively. In the multivariable analysis, after adjustment for age, Charlson’s comorbidity index ≥3, assistance in activities of daily living, treatment with proton pump inhibitors and severity of illness, obesity was not a significant risk factor for 90-day mortality (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.38–1.01; p = 0.1). Conclusions: In this study, obesity was not significantly associated with 90-day mortality after adjustment for other risk factors; however, ICU admission was higher and LOS longer in this group. Full article
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