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Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
A. baumannii has become eight times less susceptible to last-reort drug since 1999
Background
Drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is
a Gram-negative bacteria found primarily in hospital settings,
where it frequently dwells on IV and catheter lines of ICU patients. Because of Acinetobacter’s low virulence, few colonized
patients develop a disease. However, when an infection does occur, it often
results in hospital-wide outbreaks and relatively high rates of mortality. In the outpatient setting, the
pathogen has been associated with wound
infections among soldiers, earning it the name “Iraqibacter.”
The striking decline in
carbapenem effectiveness points to two major conclusions: one is the urgent
need to develop new drugs active against Gram-negative bacteria; second
is the medical community’s need to evaluate thebenefits
of large-scale vaccination of populations most affected
by A. baumannii, such
as military personnel and those in contact with them.
A. baumannii has become eight times less susceptible to last-reort drug since 1999
Background
Drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative bacteria found primarily in hospital settings, where it frequently dwells on IV and catheter lines of ICU patients. Because of Acinetobacter’s low virulence, few colonized patients develop a disease. However, when an infection does occur, it often results in hospital-wide outbreaks and relatively high rates of mortality. In the outpatient setting, the pathogen has been associated with wound infections among soldiers, earning it the name “Iraqibacter.”
The striking decline in carbapenem effectiveness points to two major conclusions: one is the urgent need to develop new drugs active against Gram-negative bacteria; second is the medical community’s need to evaluate thebenefits of large-scale vaccination of populations most affected by A. baumannii, such as military personnel and those in contact with them.
