Infections represent a major complication for burn-injured patients. The aim of this study was to highlight the changes in the incidence and antimicrobial resistance of bacterial strains isolated from burn patients, at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, in relation to the antibiotics used during the pandemic. A comparative analysis of the demographic data and the microorganisms identified in the clinical samples of two groups of burn patients admitted to a university hospital in Romania was carried out. The first group consisted of 48 patients and the second of 69 patients, hospitalized in January–August 2020 and 2023, respectively. The bacterial species with the highest incidence were S. aureus, A. baumannii, Pseudomonas spp. The significant changes between 2023 and 2020 are reflected in the increase in the frequency of non-fermentative Gram-negative bacteria, especially S. maltophilia, and the increase in antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas and Klebsiella spp. Klebsiella spp. did not change in frequency (7%), but there was a significant increase in the incidence of K. pneumoniae strains with pan-drug resistant behaviour to antibiotics (40%), including colistin. The phenomenon can be explained by the selection of specimens carrying multiple resistance genes, as a result of antibiotic treatment during the COVID-19 period. The post-pandemic antimicrobial resistance detected in burn patients indicates the need for permanent surveillance of the resistance trends, primarily due to the limited therapeutic options available for these patients.

Background: Pregnancy-related infections with the human herpes simplex virus (HSV) strains HSV-1 and HSV-2 are particularly noteworthy. There are numerous reported examples of intrapartum transmission of herpes infection, notwithstanding the extreme rarity of intrauterine transfer from mother to fetus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies in pregnant women in the western region of Romania. Methods: Pregnant women who presented for routine pregnancy monitoring at Romania’s County Clinical Emergency Hospital in Craiova between 2013 and 2016 and 2019 and 2022 were included in the study. In order to find anti-HSV-1/2 IgG antibodies, we conducted serological testing on the patients and gathered demographic information from them. Results: HSV-1 seroprevalence was shown to have declined in rural areas and increased in urban areas, with values between 2013 and 2016 being 89.30% and those between 2019 and 2022 being 84.96%, respectively. Women over 35 who were pregnant had the highest seroprevalence. The seroprevalence of HSV-2 decreased from 16.16% in 2013–2016 to 12.43% in 2019–2022, and both rural and urban areas continued to experience this declining trend. Similarly, pregnant women over 35 years old had the highest frequency of HSV-1 infections. Conclusions: Establishing educational programs and other actions to reduce the transmission rate and ultimately the prevalence of the disease can be made easier with knowledge about the seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections.

Background and Objectives: Diabetic patients are more likely to develop infections compared to the general population, especially urinary tract infections (UTIs). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of UTIs in a population of patients with diabetes (DM) from Romania, to identify the most common uropathogens and their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns, as well as to determine the correlations between resistance behavior and particularities of patients with UTIs according to DM type. Materials and Methods: The hospital records of 1282 type 1 (T1D) and type 2 DM (T2D) adult inpatients who were ordered urine cultures during hospitalization were reviewed, and all 241 patients who presented a positive urine culture were included in the present study analysis. Results: The prevalence of UTIs in diabetic patients was 18.8% and higher in patients with T2D vs. T1D. Patients with UTIs and T2D had a significantly older age, longer duration of DM, higher waist circumference and body mass index, lower levels of estimated glomerular filtration rate, and more frequent chronic complications of DM than patients with T1D. E. coli was the most frequently isolated uropathogen (56.4%), with a significantly higher incidence for T2D, followed by K. pneumoniae (12.9%) and Enterococcus spp. (9.5%). Although the acquired resistance phenotypes were more frequently isolated in T2D patients (over 90% of the multidrug-resistant and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing isolates, respectively, and 75% of the total carbapenem-resistant organisms), no statistically significant correlation was found regarding the distribution of AMR patterns in the two types of DM. Conclusions: The present study brings new data regarding the prevalence of UTIs in diabetic patients from Western Romania. By identifying the spectrum of uropathogens and their AMR pattern, this paper may contribute to improving UTI management in diabetic patients, thus reducing antibiotic overuse and preventing recurrent UTIs.

Background: An imbalance in the vaginal microbiota, often characterized by reduced lactobacilli, paves the way forth for opportunistic bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract. The presence of aerobic bacteria in the genital tract during pregnancy can have negative outcomes on the pregnancy. Peripartum infections, when not adequately managed, can significantly impact maternal and neonatal health. Antimicrobial resistance poses an escalating global health threat, with newborns particularly vulnerable. Methods: This study constitutes a retrospective observational analysis, encompassing all microbial strains isolated from pregnant women admitted to the “Pius Brînzeu” Clinical County Emergency Hospital in Timișoara, Romania for various infectious diseases over one year. We analyzed 274 samples from 246 pregnant women, of which 242 were cervical samples, 23 urine cultures, 3 wound secretions, 3 amniotic fluids, 1 peritoneal cavity fluid, 1 sputum, and 1 hemoculture. Results: In cervical samples, Group B Streptococcus (GBS) was the most prevalent, representing 42.46% of the isolates. E. coli was the second most frequent at 30.16%, followed by K. pneumoniae at 11.9%, S. aureus at 8.73%, C. albicans at 2.78%, and other species at 3.97%. A total of 9.63% of cervical GBS isolates exhibited resistance to penicillin, while 23.36% were identified as multi-drug resistant (MDR). Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and MDR S. aureus strains were identified in 50% and 54.54% of the S. aureus-positive cervical samples, respectively. Conclusions: Recognizing the implications of maternal infection or colonization, especially with antimicrobial resistance bacteria, aids in assessing risks during pregnancy.

The etiology and resistance pattern of bacterial conjunctivitis varies depending on the patient’s care setting and age. A retrospective, observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital. A total of 126 patients—76 adults and 50 children—diagnosed with conjunctival infection during inpatient or ambulatory care were analyzed. In the samples of adult patients, isolates were represented by Gram-positive cocci (57.7%; Staphylococcus spp., S. pneumoniae) followed by Enterobacterales (17.97%; P. mirabilis, E. coli, Klebsiella spp.), and non-fermenters (7.69%; Pseudomonas spp., A. baumannii). Multidrug-resistant (52.17%) and extensively drug-resistant (21.73%) pathogens (predominantly Gram-negative bacilli) were identified in conjunctival swabs of hospitalized adult patients. The main isolates (55.77%) identified in children’s conjunctival swabs belonged to S. aureus, H. influenzae, and S. pneumoniae, followed by Enterobacterales (19.22%; E. coli, P. mirabilis, M. morganii) and fungi (3.48%). Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (35.71%) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae (8.7%) were identified in the pediatric subgroup of patients. In critically ill adult patients assisted in the intensive care or burn functional units, bacterial conjunctivitis followed the pattern of infections and antimicrobial resistance specific to these categories of patients. In the case of hospitalized children, conjunctivitis was an integral part of the age-related pathology.

Background and Objectives: The susceptibility of burn patients to infections with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) is high. The aim of this study is to describe the local patterns of antimicrobial resistance in a Romanian burn unit and to identify risk factors associated with the acquisition of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) pathogens. Materials and Methods: We conducted a one-year, observational, retrospective single-centre cohort study including all burn patients with at least one positive culture admitted to our unit during 2024. In order to identify the pathogens and perform antibiograms, we used routine microbiological diagnostic tests. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify XDR risk factors. We also compiled a cumulative antibiogram using the first non-duplicate isolate per patient, following the CLSI M39 guidelines. Results: Among the 180 total admissions, 128 (71.1%) had at least one positive microbiological culture, resulting in 643 bacterial isolates out of 559 samples. The most frequently identified species were A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and K. pneumoniae. We isolated MDROs in 59.37% of patients, and 26.56% had at least one XDR pathogen isolated during hospitalisation. We identified three independent predictors for the isolation of XDR pathogens: a higher Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI) score (aOR 6.12; p = 0.001), hospital length of stay (LOS) (aOR 1.02; p = 0.030), and the number of bacterial species identified per sample, representing polymicrobial growth (aOR 5.91; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings highlight a significant percentage of MDR and XDR pathogens and provide the foundation for antimicrobial stewardship measures, using the local cumulative antibiogram for empirical therapy.