Challenges in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance in the Vulnerable Population
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Antimicrobial Agents and Resistance".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 21
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has caused a significant health and economic burden worldwide. Among other resistant pathogens, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacterales resistant to third-generation cephalosporin-resistant, and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales are named in the critical group of the World Health Organization Bacterial priority pathogen list. These bacteria cause outbreaks in hospitals and long-term care facilities, lengthen the hospitalization of patients, and increase health care costs. Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials as well as inadequate infection control contribute to the occurrence of the AMR problem, which has been worsening in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The elderly population is more prone to suffer from the problem of AMR due to the prevalence of chronic illness, frailty, poor immunity, polypharmacy, and presence of long-term urinary catheters and feeding tubes. They are frequently exposed to hospital care facilities or institutionalization, leading to increased contact with patients of multi-drug-resistant organisms. A recent global disease burden study underscores a concerning trend of AMR burden among those over 70 years old, alongside a rapidly aging global community. On the other hand, pediatric populations are also vulnerable to a variety of resistant pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, and E. Coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the emergence of macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis has also drawn global attention.
Thus, this new Special Issue of Microorganisms entitled ‘Challenges in combating antimicrobial resistance in the vulnerable population’ gathers contributions on the following topics:
- Epidemiology of resistant pathogens among vulnerable groups in hospital and community settings;
- Outbreak reports of resistant organisms focusing in the elderly residential care facilities;
- Disease transmission dynamics of antimicrobial resistance in healthcare and long-term-care facilities;
Dr. Edmond Siu Keung Ma
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- antimicrobial resistance
- infectious disease
- epidemiology
- infection control
- public health
- vulnerable population
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