Novel Sequencing Technologies for the Characterization of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Antimicrobial Agents and Resistance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1265

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have spread all over the world. These bacteria show resistance against multiple antibiotic groups, limiting therapeutic options. The absence of effective treatment leads, by default, to increased hospitalization periods and elevated morbidity and mortality rates. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms has challenged and changed microbiology laboratories. Microbiology laboratories should contribute to the rapid determination of susceptibility to antimicrobials, including the detection of resistance mechanisms, which is important for the successful treatment of infectious diseases in individual patients and for the prevention of nosocomial acquisition and the further transmission of MDR bacteria as well. MDR bacteria should also be deeply typed to understand their evolution and spread as an integral part of active surveillance. However, the last two decades have also revolutionized microbiological laboratories by the introduction of novel technologies (i.e., Next−Generation Sequencing).

Due to the amount of data generated, NGS technologies have been increasingly used, in the last decade, in epidemiological studies. These data can better explain taxonomy, antimicrobial resistance phenotype, virulence patterns, clone, the route of transmission (in a lot of cases), and, most importantly, the possibility of comparing results with data from all over the world. The knowledge involved helps in designing policies, devising strategies, and implementing preventive measures. Thus, epidemiological studies of MDR pathogens are crucial in fighting antimicrobial resistance.

Dr. Costas C. Papagiannitsis
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 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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2700 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

  • antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genomics
  • next-generation sequencing (NGS)
  • mobile genetic elements (plasmids/transposons)
  • resistome profiling
  • One Health surveillance
  • metagenomic AMR detection
  • long-read sequencing (e.g., Nanopore/PacBio)
  • bioinformatic pipelines for AMR
  • nosocomial pathogen transmission
  • precision antimicrobial stewardship

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 (1 paper)

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

Research

15 pages, 1048 KB  
Article
Genomic Characterization of Multidrug-Resistant and ESBL-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated from Healthy Rabbits Intended for Human Consumption
by Vanessa Silva, Manuela Caniça, Rani Rivière, Adriana Silva, Patrícia Poeta and Gilberto Igrejas
Microorganisms 2025, 13(8), 1931; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13081931 - 18 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1114
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important pathogen associated with multidrug resistance and virulence in both human and animal populations. While its prevalence and resistance patterns are well documented in clinical settings, data on K. pneumoniae in food-producing animals remain scarce. This study aimed to [...] Read more.
Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important pathogen associated with multidrug resistance and virulence in both human and animal populations. While its prevalence and resistance patterns are well documented in clinical settings, data on K. pneumoniae in food-producing animals remain scarce. This study aimed to isolate and characterize multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae strains from healthy rabbits raised for human consumption, with a focus on antimicrobial resistance genes, plasmid content, and associated mobile genetic elements. A total of 295 fecal samples were collected from rabbits across 20 commercial farms in northern Portugal. Isolates were confirmed using MALDI-TOF MS, tested for hypermucoviscosity, and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing (EUCAST). Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed to determine sequence types (STs), resistance genes, plasmids, and resistance determinants for metals and biocides. Six K. pneumoniae isolates were recovered, showing extensive antimicrobial resistance profiles, including ESBL genes such as blaCTX-M-15, blaSHV-28, and blaTEM-1. The most frequent ST was ST307. Multiple genes resistant to heavy metals were identified. Plasmid analysis revealed the presence of IncFII, IncN, and ColRNAI types. Network analysis showed clusters of genetically related isolates and highlighted shared resistance mechanisms. The presence of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae in healthy rabbits destined for human consumption underscores the zoonotic potential of this species and the need for surveillance in the animal–food–human interface. These findings contribute to a better understanding of resistance ecology in the context of One Health. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop