REVERSE Symposium Showcases Key Insights 

The 16^th National Conference of Infectious Diseases, held in Sibiu from 9 to 11 October 2025, featured a highly anticipated, dedicated symposium from the REVERSE consortium. The session showcased the project's multi-faceted, evidence-based strategy for controlling multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections, drawing significant attendance from the Romanian and wider European infectious diseases community.

The symposium, titled "REVERSE – Prevention and control of multidrug-resistant infections in the hospital setting: insights from the REVERSE project," was chaired by the Romanian country lead, Prof. Univ. Dr. Adriana Hristea (Bucharest), and Prof. Univ. Dr. Valeriu Gheorghiță. The programme brought together a distinguished multi-national faculty from Romania, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy to present the latest data and implementation strategies from the Horizon 2020 initiative.

Overview and Preliminary Data 

Opening the session, Prof. Univ. Dr. Adriana Hristea provided a comprehensive overview of the REVERSE project’s ambitious scope: a five-year initiative focused on developing and implementing cost-effective, integrated strategies to reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in high-prevalence healthcare settings.

The session then moved quickly to data, with Dr. Ashlesha Sonpar (Zurich, Switzerland) presenting the preliminary results for the Romanian sites. This presentation provided the audience with the first quantitative indicators of the project’s impact within the six participating Romanian hospitals. This was complemented by Dr. Cristian Niculae (Bucharest), who delivered crucial epidemiological findings on the local burden of resistance, detailing the prevalence of key MDR Gram-negatives, including:

• Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• Acinetobacter baumannii 

These data points underscore the urgency of the AMR crisis and provide the baseline against which the project's interventions are being rigorously evaluated.

Strategic Antibiotic Stewardship

A significant portion of the symposium focused on the central role of Antibiotic Stewardship (ABS).

Prof. Univ. Dr. Pilar Retamar Gentil (Seville, Spain) introduced the audience to the Basic ABS Interventions within REVERSE, outlining the core, evidence-based practices being implemented across the consortium hospitals to optimise antibiotic prescribing.

Building on this, Dr. Elena Carrara (Verona, Italy) presented a crucial scientific element: Tailoring Antibiotic Stewardship Interventions to Reduce Multi-Drug-Resistant Gram-negative Infections. Her presentation detailed the strategy of customising ABS efforts based on local epidemiology and clinical context, moving beyond 'one-size-fits-all' guidelines to achieve a more potent reduction in MDR Gram-negative infections.

Legacy and Future of Medical Education

Concluding the scientific presentations, Dr. Brândușa Bitel (Bucharest) addressed the profound impact of the project on a local institutional level. Her talk explored the Role of the REVERSE Project in Strengthening Education, Innovation, and Research at the "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy. This segment highlighted how participation in a major European clinical trial elevates local standards of care, infuses research rigour into medical training, and establishes a lasting legacy of expertise in AMR management.

The symposium concluded with an engaging and interactive discussion segment, allowing attendees to exchange ideas and discuss key findings with the multi-national faculty. 

The consensus was clear: the REVERSE project is providing both the strategic framework and the high-quality data necessary to lead the national and international effort against AMR.

L to R: Dr. Brândușa Bitel, Dr. Ashlesha Sonpar, Dr. Cristian Niculae, Dr. Elena Carrara, Prof. Univ. Dr. Pilar Retamar Gentil,      Prof. Univ. Dr. Adriana Hristea, and Prof. Univ. Dr. Valeriu Gheorghiță.