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. 2024 Nov 25;13(12):1130.
doi: 10.3390/antibiotics13121130.

Unveiling the Dynamics of Antimicrobial Resistance: A Year-Long Surveillance (2023) at the Largest Infectious Disease Profile Hospital in Western Romania

Sorina Maria Denisa Laitin  1   2 , Luminita Mirela Baditoiu  1 , Ruxandra Laza  2   3 , Irina-Maria Stefan  4   5 , Razvan Sebastian Besliu  6 , Septimiu Radu Susa  5 , Cristian Oancea  7   8 , Emil Robert Stoicescu  9   10   11 , Diana Manolescu  8   9 , Corneluta Fira-Mladinescu  12   13
Affiliations

Unveiling the Dynamics of Antimicrobial Resistance: A Year-Long Surveillance (2023) at the Largest Infectious Disease Profile Hospital in Western Romania

Sorina Maria Denisa Laitin et al. Antibiotics (Basel). .

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical global health threat, leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This study aimed to identify the most common bacterial pathogens and their resistance profiles from 2179 positive clinical cultures from inpatients at "Victor Babes" Hospital of Infectious Disease and Pneumoftiziology Timisoara in 2023. Methods: Samples were collected from sputum, bronchial aspiration, hemoculture, urine, wound secretions, catheter samples, and other clinical specimens. Results: Key pathogens identified included Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii, with notable resistance patterns, observed K. pneumoniae exhibited high resistance rates, notably 41.41% in Quarter 1, while E. coli showed 35.93% resistance in the same period. S. aureus, particularly MRSA, remained a persistent challenge, with 169 cases recorded over the year. A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa displayed alarming levels of multi-drug resistance, especially in Quarter 3 (88.24% and 22.02%, respectively). Although there was a general decline in resistance rates by Quarter 4, critical pathogens such as S. aureus and K. pneumoniae continued to exhibit significant resistance (81.25% and 21.74%, respectively). Conclusions: The study's findings align with the broader antimicrobial resistance trends observed in Romania, where high resistance rates in K. pneumoniae, E. coli, S. aureus (MRSA), Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas species have been widely reported, reflecting the country's ongoing struggle with multi-drug-resistant infections. Despite some reductions in resistance rates across quarters, the persistent presence of these resistant strains underscores the critical need for strengthened antimicrobial stewardship, infection control measures, and continuous surveillance to combat the growing threat of AMR in Romania and similar healthcare settings.

Keywords: antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; bacterial culture analysis; infection control measures; multi-drug resistant bacteria.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The distribution’s histogram during quarters in 2023.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number and percentage of isolates (%) over the surveillance period (Timisoara Hospital, 2023) by specimen type.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Number (n) and percentage (%) of bacterial infections during the surveillance period (2023) by organism and resistance phenotype.
Figure 4
Figure 4
%MRSA and %MRSE trends across the quarters in 2023.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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