Bacterial Resistance and Adaptation in the Post-Antibiotic Ban Era

Dear Colleague,

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria is one of the most critical global health threats of the 21st century, undermining the efficacy of modern medicine. Since antibiotics primarily target bacteria, policies aimed at curbing their overuse and misuse are direct interventions against the selective pressure that drives the evolution of resistant bacterial strains. In response to this crisis, many countries have implemented strategies, including outright bans on antibiotic use in sectors like agriculture and veterinary medicine. While well-intentioned, the real-world impact of these bans on bacterial populations and their resistomes remains a complex and actively researched area.

This Special Issue will focus on how bacteria and bacterial communities respond to withdrawing antibiotic selection pressure following regulatory bans. We aim to collate cutting-edge research that provides a deeper understanding of the successes, limitations, and unforeseen consequences of such policies. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and case studies exploring key topics such as

• Trends in Bacterial Resistance: This topic encompasses surveillance and epidemiological studies on the prevalence of resistant bacterial pathogens and commensals following antibiotic bans.
• Effectiveness of Bans: This topic involves sector-specific analyses (clinical, veterinary, agricultural) of the effectiveness of bans in reducing resistant bacteria and the abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs).
• Mechanisms of Resistance Persistence: This topic includes investigations into the molecular and genetic mechanisms enabling the persistence of resistance in bacterial populations despite the removal of antibiotics, including the role of mobile genetic elements (e.g., plasmids, transposons), co-selection with other substances (e.g., heavy metals), and compensatory evolution.
• Alternatives to Antibiotics: This topic involves studies on the development and efficacy of alternative strategies for controlling bacterial infections, such as bacteriophage therapy, probiotics, anti-virulence compounds, and vaccines.
• Impact on Bacterial Communities: This topic encompasses analyses of how antibiotic bans alter the composition, function, and resistome of the microbiota in humans, animals, and the environment.
• Policy and Regulation: This topic comprises evaluations of regulatory frameworks on antibiotic use and their downstream effects on bacterial resistance patterns and diversity.
• Comparative Studies: This topic includes comparative genomics, metagenomics, and epidemiological studies of resistant bacteria and resistomes from regions with and without stringent antibiotic restrictions.

By bringing together diverse research focused squarely on bacteria, this Special Issue will provide a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of how bacterial populations adapt to major shifts in antibiotic policy. The insights gathered will be crucial for guiding future strategies in the global fight against AMR.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Antibiotics.

Prof. Dr. Abdelaziz Ed-Dra
Prof. Dr. Min Yue
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

• impact of antibiotic bans
• antibiotic use
• antimicrobial resistance
• antibiotic restrictions