Antibiotics: Fighting Disease and Promoting Health by Embracing the Two Sides of the Same Coin

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024 | Viewed by 1554

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, School of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, 47100 Arta, Greece
Interests: microbiology; microbial ecology; public health; food-borne diseases; food technology; food safety; nutrients; fermented foods; lactic acid bacteria; antimicrobial resistance
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Guest Editor
Department of Infectious Diseases, CHUV (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois), 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Interests: infectious diseases; antibiotics; probiotics; microbial ecology; health; disease; microbiota; hygiene; diet; intestine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece
Interests: microbiome; antimicrobials; antibiotics; biofilms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The resistance to antibiotics has been characterized as a silent yet salient pandemic. Published research from every part of the globe reveals this resistance phenomenon in either clinical or environmental isolates. Although many aspects of the bacterial survival mechanisms are thoroughly understood, questions remain. Studying the resistance effect is essential but what can contemporary science propose as possible solutions to this problem? Are there ways to increase the efficacy of the existing antibiotics? Are there other substances with satisfactory antibiotic activity? Can certain microorganisms play the role of antibiotics? Are we able to prevent the dissemination of resistance determinants through the food chain? These and other relevant questions will be addressed in this Special Issue of "Antibiotics". The term -biotic stems from the Greek word bios (βίος) , meaning life. By adding a suitable prefix to this term, e.g., antibiotic, probiotic, prebiotic, or symbiotic, perhaps we can influence life sciences towards new approaches to older problems. Researchers are invited to submit study and review articles that will contribute towards addressing these issues. 

Dr. Chrysa Voidarou
Dr. Elisavet Stavropoulou
Prof. Dr. Eugenia Bezirtzoglou
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. Antibiotics 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 2900 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

  • antibiotics
  • probiotics
  • antibacterial activity
  • functional food
  • natural compounds
  • natural antimicrobials
  • microbiome
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • resistome

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

15 pages, 471 KiB  
Review
Post-Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Antimicrobial Resistance
by Lucia Boccabella, Elena Gialluca Palma, Ludovico Abenavoli, Giuseppe Guido Maria Scarlata, Mariavirginia Boni, Gianluca Ianiro, Pierangelo Santori, Jan F. Tack and Emidio Scarpellini
Antibiotics 2024, 13(3), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13030233 - 29 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1231
Abstract
Background and aim: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a chronic issue of our Westernized society, mainly because of the uncontrolled and improper use of antimicrobials. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered and expanded AMR diffusion all over the world, and its clinical [...] Read more.
Background and aim: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a chronic issue of our Westernized society, mainly because of the uncontrolled and improper use of antimicrobials. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered and expanded AMR diffusion all over the world, and its clinical and therapeutic features have changed. Thus, we aimed to review evidence from the literature on the definition and causative agents of AMR in the frame of the COVID-19 post-pandemic era. Methods: We conducted a search on PubMed and Medline for original articles, reviews, meta-analyses, and case series using the following keywords, their acronyms, and their associations: antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), COVID-19 pandemic, personal protective equipment. Results: AMR had a significant rise in incidence both in in-hospital and outpatient populations (ranging from 5 up to 50%) worldwide, but with a variegated profile according to the germ and microorganism considered. Not only bacteria but also fungi have developed more frequent and diffuse AMR. These findings are explained by the increased use and misuse of antibiotics and preventive measures during the first waves of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, especially in hospitalized patients. Subsequently, the reduction in and end of the lockdown and the use of personal protective equipment have allowed for the indiscriminate circulation of resistant microorganisms from low-income countries to the rest of the world with the emergence of new multi- and polyresistant organisms. However, there is not a clear association between COVID-19 and AMR changes in the post-pandemic period. Conclusions: AMR in some microorganisms has significantly increased and changed its characteristics during and after the end of the pandemic phase of COVID-19. An integrated supranational monitoring approach to this challenge is warranted in the years to come. In detail, a rational, personalized, and regulated use of antibiotics and antimicrobials is needed. Full article
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