Multidrug Resistance Acinetobacter Baumannii: An Emerging Threat

Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative bacillus that is a common pathogen among immunocompromised individuals and is associated with aquatic environments. It has been designated as a "red alert" human pathogen due to its broad antibiotic resistance spectrum. A. baumannii is one of the ESKAPE organisms that pose a global threat to human health and a therapeutic challenge due to its emerging and constantly growing resistance. In 2018, WHO ranked carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) as the top priority for antibiotic research and development. The virulence potential of A. baumannii is based on a "persist and resist" strategy, with the bacteria also resisting oxidative stress and complement-mediated killing. The most significant virulence factors include protein secretion systems, iron-chelating systems, capsular polysaccharides, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), proteases, outer membrane porins, and phospholipases. The pathogen is a common cause of biofilm-related infections, especially ventilator-associated pneumonia and catheter-related infections, making clinical management of these infections extremely difficult.