Infections in the Intensive Care Unit - Volume IV

Building on the success of the previous volumes (Infections in the Intensive Care Unit Volume I, Intensive Care Unit Volume II and Intensive Care Unit Volume III) and the rapidly evolving landscape of critical care, we are pleased to announce the launch of Infections in the Intensive Care Unit – Volume IV.Infectious diseases remain a major challenge in the intensive care unit (ICU), a reality further underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the EPIC III study indicate that nearly half of all critically ill patients admitted to the ICU present with infections. Moreover, when infections are hospital- or ICU-acquired, the causative pathogens are frequently multidrug-resistant (MDR). This highlights the critical importance of implementing robust Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) and Infection Control Programs (ICPs).In the post-COVID-19 era, the isolation rates of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have shown a concerning upward trend. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) updated its Bacterial Priority Pathogens List in July 2024. Consequently, optimizing the management of antibiotic-resistant infections in the ICU demands continued and in-depth analysis.Advances in laboratory medicine have introduced novel diagnostic tools based on molecular detection—such as GeneXpert, FilmArray, and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS)—which are now widely used in ICUs. Concurrently, research into the microecology and multi-omics of critically ill patients with infections has entered a new phase, paving the way for individualized diagnosis and precision medicine. Furthermore, the development of algorithms and predictive models using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), alongside the approval of new antimicrobial agents, has expanded our therapeutic arsenal. Despite these advancements, mortality rates for sepsis and other severe infections remain unacceptably high, urging a critical re-evaluation of our current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.This Research Topic aims to provide deep insights into the prospects for novel detection technologies, emerging biomarkers, and the application of new antimicrobials in the ICU setting. We also seek to explore the optimization of antimicrobial drug selection, dosing, and treatment duration in contemporary ICU infections. For challenging scenarios such as refractory MDR bacterial infections or bacterial-fungal co-infections, we encourage analyses of the real-world efficacy of inhaled antibiotic therapy and combination regimens, as well as discussions on standardizing their application. Additionally, this collection will examine alterations in host immune function and the microecological system during severe infections. Ultimately, improving clinical outcomes for ICU patients with infections requires a concerted, multidisciplinary effort involving intensivists, infectious disease specialists, clinical pharmacists, and clinical microbiologists.Suggested Themes for Submission:· Management of pneumonia (VAP/HAP) in the ICU.· Inhaled antibiotic therapy in mechanically ventilated patients.· Application of novel biomarkers for infectious diseases in the ICU.· New molecular techniques (mNGS, X-pert, etc.) in ICU infections.· Use of new antibacterial agents in the ICU.· Treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in the ICU.· Current trends in epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance in the ICU.· PK/PD monitoring of antibiotics in the ICU.· Adverse effects of antibiotics in the ICU.· Infections in immunocompromised hosts in the ICU.· Invasive fungal diseases in the ICU: treatment duration and dose adjustment.· Perioperative infections in elderly ICU patients.· Infections in special patient populations (e.g., burns, prosthetic joint infections) in the ICU.· Application of Machine Learning in sepsis prediction and management.· Active screening and management of multidrug-resistant organisms in the ICU.· Antimicrobial stewardship to prevent misuse and curb resistance in the ICU.· Gut microbiota and infectious diseases in ICU patients.· Bacterial and fungal/viral co-infections in the ICU.· Construction and application of multi-omics databases for sepsis.Newly Added Themes on Sepsis Precision Medicine:· Precision Medicine in Sepsis: From novel biomarkers to targeted therapies.· Identification and Characterization of Sepsis Subphenotypes: Clinical and molecular signatures.· Big Data Analytics and Predictive Modeling in Sepsis Management.· Integrative Multi-Omics Approaches in Sepsis: Pathogenesis, prognosis, and treatment response.· Machine Learning for Real-Time Sepsis Subphenotype Dynamic Recognition.· Immunotyping and Endotyping in Sepsis: Informing individualized immunomodulatory strategies.· Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Antibiotic Dosing in Severe Sepsis.· Leveraging Electronic Health Records (EHR) for Sepsis Subphenotype Discovery.· Proteomic and Metabolomic Profiling for Early Diagnosis and Risk Stratification in Sepsis.· Translation of Omics-Based Sepsis Signatures into Clinical Decision Support Tools. Topic editors: Zhongheng Zhang, Yuetian Yu, Dejan Zivorad Marković, Cheng Zhu Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77736/infections-in-the-intensive-care-unit---volume-iv