Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and its subtype, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), remain two significant causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite the better understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms, etiology, risk factors, preventive methods (bundle of care principles) and supportive care. Prior detection of the risk factors combined with a clear clinical judgement based on clinical scores and dosage of different inflammatory biomarkers (procalcitonin, soluble triggering receptor expressed on myelloid cells type 1, C-reactive protein, mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin, mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide) represent the cornerstones of a well-established management plan by improving patient’s outcome. This review article provides an overview of the newly approved terminology considering nosocomial pneumonia, as well as the risk factors, biomarkers, diagnostic methods and new treatment options that can guide the management of this spectrum of infections.

In 2020 a new pandemic caused by the SARS‑CoV‑2 coronavirus is affecting the lives of millions of patients and healthcare workers worldwide. The clinical picture of this infection is in a dynamic process of discovery, and more symptoms emerge as the clinicians observe and diagnose manifestations that affect multiple organs. Anosmia (loss of smell), and ageusia (loss of taste) become more frequently cited as independent symptoms or in association with the most common manifestations of the disease, such as fever, cough and dyspnea. A thorough screening program will prevent most nosocomial and community‑acquired infections by promoting efficient triage and specific measures such as isolation of the patients. Therefore, it is important to include frequent symptoms in the anamnesis and questionnaires to select those patients who might benefit from testing, isolation, and treatment. This study summarizes the existing data regarding the association of anosmia and ageusia with the SARS‑CoV‑2 infection. It also aims to describe manifestations of these, particularly in the clinical picture of all symptomatic patients.

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection caused by the obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). T. gondii infection is a cause of congenital infection worldwide. Primary infection or the reactivation of latent infection during pregnancy may lead to fetal infection and to congenital toxoplasmosis syndrome. Seropositive pregnant women are generally protected from maternal‑fetal transmission of T. gondii, although exceptions exist. The aim of our study was to analyze the dynamics of T. gondii seroprevalence during a 10‑year period and to correlate it with age and demographic features of pregnant women. We tested 6,889 pregnant women in Timisoara, Romania, for IgG‑anti‑T. gondii antibodies, in two successive periods: i) 2008‑2010 (group 1: 1,457 participants); and ii) 2015‑2018 (group 2: 5,432 participants). For each participant, data on age and area of residence were collected. Our results showed that in the Western Region of Romania T. gondii seroprevalence in pregnant women declined from 43.79 to 38.81% in the last ten years. This trend was observed in both urban (40.53 vs. 34.85%) and rural areas (52.22 vs. 46.22%). A higher seroprevalence rate was found in rural than in urban areas. In addition, we found an increasing tendency of seroprevalence related to the age of pregnant women.

The aim of this study was to analyze the serum concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ferritin, and procalcitonin in COVID-19 patients with different forms of the disease. We performed a prospective cohort study on 137 COVID-19 consecutive patients, divided into four groups according to the severity of the disease as follows: 30 patients in the mild form group, 49 in the moderate form group, 28 in the severe form group, and 30 in the critical form group. The tested parameters were correlated with COVID-19 severity. Significant differences were registered between the form of COVID-19 depending on the vaccination status, between LDH concentrations depending on the virus variant, and in IL-6, CRP, and ferritin concentrations and vaccination status depending on the gender. ROC analysis revealed that D-dimer best predicted COVID-19 severe forms and LDH predicted the virus variant. Our findings confirmed the interdependence relationships observed between inflammation markers in relation to the clinical severity of COVID-19, with all the tested biomarkers increasing in severe and critical COVID-19. IL-6, CRP, ferritin, LDH, and D-dimer were increased in all COVID-19 forms. These inflammatory markers were lower in Omicron-infected patients. The unvaccinated patients developed more severe forms compared to the vaccinated ones, and a higher proportion of them needed hospitalization. D-dimer could predict a severe form of COVID-19, while LDH could predict the virus variant.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a leading intensive care unit (ICU) pathogen associated with high rates of carbapenem resistance and poor clinical outcomes. This narrative review synthesizes recent clinical, microbiological, and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) evidence regarding resistance mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. A literature review was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2015–August 2025), focusing on multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains, ICU-acquired infections, and pivotal trials involving cefiderocol and sulbactam–durlobactam. Resistance is driven by OXA-type carbapenemases (notably OXA-23/24/58), efflux systems (AdeABC/IJK/FGH), porin alterations (CarO, Omp33–36), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) modifications conferring colistin resistance. Management options include polymyxins, optimized tigecycline dosing, β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors, and newer agents such as cefiderocol and sulbactam–durlobactam, though mortality and safety outcomes vary across trials. A comparative table is included, summarizing antimicrobial mechanism coverage, PK/PD parameters, and adverse effects to support regimen selection in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and bacteremia. Optimized, multimodal approaches integrating timely diagnostics, targeted combination therapies, infection prevention, and antimicrobial stewardship are essential to improve outcomes and limit the spread of MDR and XDR A. baumannii.

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is currently a growing concern among healthcare providers, underscoring the importance of describing the regional susceptibility profile for common microorganisms that are associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs). This knowledge serves as the foundation for proper empirical therapeutic recommendations tailored to local susceptibility patterns. Results: We found a high prevalence of ESBL-producing strains (36.9%), with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. being the most prevalent isolated bacteria. Among the catheterized patients, Klebsiella spp. emerged as the primary etiology, with a significant correlation between catheterization and Proteus spp. (p = 0.02) and Providencia stuartii (p < 0.0001). We observed significant correlations between urinary catheterization and older age (68.9 ± 13.7 years vs. 64.2 ± 18.1 years in non-catheterized patients, p = 0.026) and with the presence of an isolate with extensive drug resistance (p < 0.0001) or even pandrug resistance (p < 0.0001). Susceptibility rates significantly decreased for almost all the tested antibiotics during the study period. Notably, susceptibility was markedly lower among catheterized patients, with the most pronounced differences observed for carbapenems (59.6% versus 83.4%, p < 0.0001) and aminoglycosides (37.1% versus 46.9%, p = 0.0001). Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study analyzing the susceptibility profiles of 724 extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales isolated from urine cultures. Our focus was on highlighting susceptibility profiles among isolates associated with urinary catheterization and assessing the shifts in the susceptibility rates over time. Conclusions: The constant rise in AMR rates among Enterobacterales presents significant challenges in treating severe infections, particularly among urinary catheterized patients. This trend leaves clinicians with limited or no effective treatment options. Consequently, the development and implementation of personalized treatment protocols are imperative to ensure efficient empirical therapies.