Antibiotic resistance of acinetobacter baumannii: An urgent need for new therapy and infection control

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) infections became an emerging health concern in hospitals across the globe and are often related to nosocomial infections with poorer clinical outcomes in patients with prolonged hospital stay. Management of infections involves prompt identification of the infecting strain, isolating the source of infection, and proper choice of antibiotic regimen. However, resistance to first-line antimicrobial drugs, combined with a scarcity of equally effective alternatives, complicates the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii. Presently, MDR A. baumannii may be a serious health concern in hospitals and long-term care facilities accounting for up to 20% of infections in intensive care units, and 7% of infections in patients who are physically connected to medical equipments. Immediate and sustained prevention efforts are needed to control the speed of incidence. Antibiotic use is largely under-regulated in Egypt leading to the emergence of resistant isolates. This review describes genetic markers and other factors that influence the incidence of MDR A. baumannii. Current and emerging treatments as well as infection control strategies are discussed.