Antibiotic Resistance and Patient Safety: A Clinical Perspective

A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology & Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 August 2026 | Viewed by 781

Special Issue Editors


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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

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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,

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents one of the most serious threats to global health, undermining patient safety, clinical outcomes, and therapeutic effectiveness. Its emergence, rooted in an inevitable biological process accelerated by antibiotic misuse, has shifted research from classical microbiology to multidisciplinary and translational approaches addressing its growing complexity.

This Special Issue aims to examine the relationship between antibiotic resistance and patient safety from a clinical perspective, focusing on impacts on medical practice, infection prevention, and antimicrobial stewardship.

Recent advances include rapid detection of resistance genes through genomics, metagenomics, and AI-enhanced analytics; development of next-generation antimicrobials and alternative therapies (phages, peptides, and antibodies); CRISPR-based strategies; rapid diagnostics; biofilm-control innovations; and global surveillance systems that support optimized infection management.

We invite original research articles, reviews, and clinical studies. Contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following topics are encouraged:

  • Emerging molecular mechanisms and evolutionary models of AMR;
  • Clinical and epidemiological implications of multidrug-resistant organisms;
  • Antimicrobial stewardship strategies in hospital and community settings;
  • Impact of AMR on morbidity, mortality, and length of stay;
  • Infection prevention and control protocols related to patient safety;
  • Integration of rapid diagnostics and personalized approaches in clinical decision-making.

Prof. Dr. Monica Marilena Țânțu
Dr. Corneliu Ovidiu Vrancianu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • antimicrobial resistance
  • infection prevention
  • multidrug-resistant infections
  • patient safety
  • antimicrobial stewardship
  • multidrug-resistant organisms

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 463 KB  
Article
Antimicrobial Resistance of ESKAPE Pathogens Identified in Patients with Necrotizing Fasciitis: A 10-Year Retrospective Study
by Mădălina Olivia Radu-Adameşteanu, Elena Rodica Dragu, Bogdan Liviu Chioaru, Ana Cătălina Ţânţu, Corina Daniela Ene, Andrei Creţu, Camelia Andreea Georgescu and Cristian Sorin Hariga
Medicina 2026, 62(4), 665; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62040665 - 31 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Background and Objectives: ESKAPE pathogens—Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.—are major contributors to antimicrobial resistance and are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Their involvement in community-acquired necrotizing fasciitis [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: ESKAPE pathogens—Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.—are major contributors to antimicrobial resistance and are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Their involvement in community-acquired necrotizing fasciitis (CA-NF) remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to determine whether ESKAPE pathogens are implicated in cases of CA-NF and to describe their prevalence, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and associated clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center study of NF cases treated in the Plastic Surgery Department of the Emergency Hospital Bucharest (2012–2022). Sixty-five patients met clinical and surgical diagnostic criteria; cases without microbiological data were excluded. Of these, 21 patients had ESKAPE pathogens isolated within 60 min of admission and formed the study cohort. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, microbiological, susceptibility, treatment, and outcome data were analyzed descriptively, with a focus on associated mortality with exploratory comparisons to ESKAPE-negative cases. Results: ESKAPE pathogens were identified in 31.8% (21/65) of patients. S. aureus was most common (61.9%); 14.3% were MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and 47.6% MSSA (Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus). Overall, 52% of ESKAPE isolates were multidrug-resistant and 12% were extensively drug-resistant. These resistance patterns have implications for empiric therapy in community-acquired NF. Conclusions: ESKAPE pathogens accounted for a substantial proportion of CA-NF and frequently displayed multidrug resistance. These findings highlight the importance of considering ESKAPE pathogens in empiric management strategies for NF, particularly within regional clinical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antibiotic Resistance and Patient Safety: A Clinical Perspective)
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