jcm-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Clinical Strategies for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 24 July 2026 | Viewed by 2284

Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Medical Assistance and Physical Therapy, Pitesti University Center, Târgu din Vale 1, 110040 Pitești, Romania
2. Faculty of Science, Physical Education and Informatics, National University of Science and Technology, Politehnica, Splaiul Independenței 313, District 6, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
3. Emergency County Hospital of Pitești, Hospital Street No. 36, Pitești, Romania
Interests: nursing; public health; healthcare-associated infections; patient safety; anti-bioresistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 296 Splaiul Independentei, District 6, 060031 Bucharest, Romania
2. Doctoral School, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eroii Sanitari 8, District 5, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
3. The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest—ICUB, Șoseaua Panduri 90, District 5, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: antimicrobial resistance; diagnostic microbiology; hospital-acquired infections; antibiotic stewardship; novel antimicrobial agents; microbiome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) continue to pose a major global threat to patient safety and healthcare quality. These infections occur in a variety of clinical settings and are associated with increased morbidity, mortality and financial burden for both patients and healthcare systems.

This Special Issue of the Journal of Clinical Medicine aims to gather high-quality contributions that explore effective strategies for the prevention of HAIs. We welcome manuscripts that investigate the prevalence and distribution of HAIs, as well as their most common clinical forms. Submissions should also examine the primary microbial agents involved, antimicrobial resistance patterns and the evolving epidemiology of these infections.

We are particularly interested in articles that propose or evaluate specific prevention measures, such as infection-control protocols, antimicrobial-stewardship programs and hygiene practices, as well as how these impact patient-safety outcomes. Contributions focusing on the development or application of tools to assess infection risk, such as scoring systems or predictive models, are also encouraged. Furthermore, we invite forward-looking perspectives that address future challenges and innovations in the field, including technological, organizational and policy-level interventions.

Recent research emphasize that alongside conventional infection-control measures, emerging approaches, such as artificial-intelligence assisted diagnostics, microbiome-based therapies, phage-therapy and a One-Health perspective linking environmental change to antimicrobial resistance, may play increasing roles in combating HAIs.

We encourage original research articles and reviews that advance the knowledge and implementation of infection-prevention strategies in healthcare environments.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions to this timely and important topic.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Healthcare.

Dr. Monica Marilena Țânțu
Prof. Dr. Rogozea Liliana Marcela
Dr. Corneliu Ovidiu Vrancianu
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

  • healthcare-associated infections
  • multidrug resistance
  • prevention
  • screening scales
  • polymicrobial infections
  • oppor-tunistic infections
  • sepsis

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • 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.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

10 pages, 761 KB  
Article
Risk Factors for Postoperative Wound Infections in Patients with Brain Tumors Without Anticoagulant or Antiplatelet Therapy: A Ten-Year Single-Center Retrospective Analysis
by Anatoli Pinchuk, Nikolay Tonchev, Anna Schaufler, Claudia A. Dumitru, Belal Neyazi, Klaus-Peter Stein, Ibrahim Erol Sandalcioglu and Ali Rashidi
J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(3), 977; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15030977 - 26 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 685
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to identify risk factors for postoperative wound infections and healing disorders in patients with brain tumors, based on a large, single-center analysis, and to establish an evidence-based foundation for prevention. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to identify risk factors for postoperative wound infections and healing disorders in patients with brain tumors, based on a large, single-center analysis, and to establish an evidence-based foundation for prevention. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1480 patients who underwent intracranial tumor resection in our department over a ten-year period, without the influence of anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication. Potential predictors of wound healing disorders were evaluated, focusing on demographic variables and pre-existing conditions. Results: Among the 1480 patients, postoperative wound infections occurred in 47 cases, corresponding to a cumulative incidence of 3.17%. Platelet count (p = 0.018) and partial thromboplastin time (p = 0.011) emerged as potential risk factors for postoperative wound infections. Length of hospital stay appeared as a distinct outcome-associated marker in cases of postoperative wound infection (p = 0.018). In contrast, demographic characteristics (age, sex, blood type), comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, chronic inflammatory conditions), and other surgical or laboratory parameters showed no significant association with wound healing disorders. Conclusions: In patients with brain tumors undergoing surgery without the influence of anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy, most demographic factors, common comorbidities, and selected laboratory parameters were not associated with an increased risk of postoperative wound infections. Awareness of the identified risk factors may help guide preventive strategies and nursing care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Strategies for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections)
Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2673 KB  
Article
Epidemiology of Healthcare-Associated Infections Caused by Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria and Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in a Romanian Tertiary Care Hospital
by Andreea Mihaela Sandu, Corneliu Ovidiu Vrancianu, Ana-Catalina Tantu, Vasilica Mihaela Dumitrache, Daniel Diaconescu, Roxana-Elena Cristian, Andreea Marcu and Monica Marilena Tantu
J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(2), 667; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15020667 - 14 Jan 2026
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1215
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), particularly those caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, remain a major challenge for Romanian hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological burden of MDR-related HAIs and to characterize the distribution of MDR bacterial isolates and their antimicrobial resistance patterns [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), particularly those caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, remain a major challenge for Romanian hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological burden of MDR-related HAIs and to characterize the distribution of MDR bacterial isolates and their antimicrobial resistance patterns over four consecutive semesters in a Romanian tertiary care hospital. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using data from the Electronic Registry of HAIs, clinical observation sheets, and microbiology laboratory records. An epidemiological analysis was performed on patients diagnosed with MDR-related HAIs, while a separate microbiological analysis included all MDR bacterial isolates identified during the study period. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were applied to assess temporal trends, pathogen distribution, and resistance profiles. Results: Of the 327 HAIs identified, 56 cases (17.13%) were caused by MDR bacteria. Most MDR-HAIs originated from the Intensive Care Unit (≈60%), with Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella spp. as the predominant pathogens. Overall mortality among patients with MDR-HAIs was high (51.79%), particularly in infections caused by A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae. Microbiological analysis of MDR isolates (n = 406) revealed consistently high resistance rates to ciprofloxacin, cefepime, and ceftazidime, exceeding 95% in 2023–2024, while resistance to carbapenems surpassed 90% by the end of the study period. Temporal variability in MDR burden was observed across semesters, suggesting an influence of clinical and institutional factors. Conclusions: MDR-related HAIs represent a significant and persistent problem in Romanian acute-care hospitals, particularly in Intensive Care Units. The dominance of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. highlights the urgent need for strengthened antimicrobial stewardship, enhanced microbiological surveillance, and reinforced infection prevention strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Strategies for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop