The REVERSE project showcased its preliminary findings at ESCMID Global 2025 in Vienna, focusing on interventions to combat multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and improve antibiotic stewardship across European hospitals. The team presented baseline results from several nested trials, highlighting the varying prevalence of different MDROs - such as Carbapenem-resistant hospital-acquired infections (CRHAIs) being higher in Greece and Romania, and ESBL, MRSA, and VRE being more prevalent in Italy.

Key research presented included baseline data for studies on tailored perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in colorectal surgery, the role of rectal swabs in guiding empirical antibiotic therapy for febrile neutropenia, and the impact of a cohorting intervention on Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) transmission. 

One notable finding was the decrease in Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae carriage after one year of implementing infection prevention and control (IPC) measures. Furthermore, presentations addressed the high mortality risk associated with certain MDRO blood stream infections and the need for health-economics assessments to prioritise effective, cost-saving interventions against antimicrobial resistance. 

The overall message was that REVERSE shows promise in curbing rates of Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs) due to MDROs.

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