Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii : mechanisms of virulence and resistance

• Published in: International journal of antimicrobial agents Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 219 - 226
• Main Authors: Gordon, Nicola C, Wareham, David W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.03.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acinetobacter baumannii; Acinetobacter baumannii - drug effects; Acinetobacter baumannii - pathogenicity; Acinetobacter Infections - drug therapy; Acinetobacter Infections - microbiology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antimicrobial resistance; Bacterial Proteins - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Humans; Infectious Disease; Medical sciences; Pathogenesis; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Virulence; Virulence Factors - physiology; Pathogenesis; Acinetobacter baumannii; Antimicrobial resistance; Drug susceptibility test; Multiple resistance; Virulence; Neisseriaceae; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Mechanism of action; Antimicrobial agent
• ISSN: 0924-8579; 1872-7913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2009.10.024

Abstract Infection due to Acinetobacter baumannii has become a significant challenge to modern healthcare systems. The organism shows a formidable capacity to develop antimicrobial resistance, yet the clinical impact of A. baumannii infection remains unclear. Much is known about the processes involved in multidrug resistance, but those underlying the pathogenicity and virulence potential of the organism are only beginning to be elucidated. In this article, we provide an overview of current knowledge, focusing on mechanisms of pathogenesis, the molecular basis of resistance and options for treatment in the absence of novel therapeutic agents.