Acinetobacter baumannii: challenges and possible solutions

Acinetobacter baumannii ( A. baumannii ) has emerged as a significant nosocomial pathogen, well recognized for its remarkable ability to persist and resist. It can survive in different environments including healthcare settings, due to its formidable ability to form biofilms on different surfaces including both biotic and abiotic surfaces. Additionally, it is well known for its resistance to different classes of antimicrobial agents, which is attributed to intrinsic as well as acquired mechanisms. These factors together contribute to the challenging management of infections caused by A. baumannii , causing increased mortality and morbidity worldwide. Different types of infections are caused by A. baumannii including bloodstream infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Different factors contribute to the fitness of this organism and some of them have been investigated as possible targets for therapeutic agents. Here, we will focus on the challenges posed by this organism as well as some of the approaches to meet these challenges.