Advanced Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and Detection

Dear Colleagues,

It is our privilege to serve as Guest Editors of this Special Issue titled “Advanced Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and Detection”, which will offer valuable insight.

Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) represent one of the most urgent global health threats, owing to their intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms, the limited therapeutic options associated with them, and their high mortality rates in vulnerable patient populations. Among them, carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), Acinetobacter baumannii, and intrinsically carbapenem-resistant organisms such as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia are of particular concern in intensive care units and other high-risk clinical environments.

While phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing remains essential for guiding initial treatment decisions, the growing variety of resistance mechanisms calls for the use of genotypic assays to accurately identify carbapenemase genes and other molecular markers. The integration of phenotypic and genotypic results provides a more comprehensive diagnostic framework, allowing clinicians to distinguish between intrinsic and acquired resistance, monitor emerging resistance patterns, and implement appropriate treatment and infection prevention strategies.

This Special Issue will feature contributions that deepen our understanding of both the laboratory and clinical aspects of carbapenem resistance. By showcasing advancements in detection technologies and their clinical applications, these articles emphasize the need to align diagnostic precision with antimicrobial stewardship to enhance patient outcomes.

Through this collective effort, we aim to strengthen the evidence base needed for effective management of infections caused by CRE, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Acinetobacter spp., and to contribute to global strategies in combating the growing challenge of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens.

The focal points and target organisms include, but are not limited to, those mentioned above and the following:

• Multidrug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria;
• Other multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria;
• STD/STI-related microorganisms.

Dr. Jeannette Wadula
Dr. Khine Swe Han
Dr. Prathna Bhola
Guest Editors

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