Antimicrobial Resistance in Acinetobacter spp.
Summary
Antimicrobial resistance in Acinetobacter species poses a mounting threat to public health worldwide. Members of this genus, and in particular Acinetobacter baumannii, are adept at acquiring and expressing resistance mechanisms that thwart frontline antibiotics. These include enzymatic degradation of β-lactams, modification of drug targets, up-regulation of efflux pumps, and the formation of protective biofilms. The resilience of Acinetobacter spp. in hospital settings has been well documented, with multidrug-resistant strains causing outbreaks of ventilator-associated pneumonia, bloodstream infections and wound sepsis. Beyond clinical wards, recent investigations have revealed environmental reservoirs in water, soil, foodstuffs and animals, signalling a potential cycle of transmission between human, animal and environmental niches. The global dissemination of international clones, defined by multilocus sequence typing, underscores the role of travel and trade in the spread of resistant lineages. Control strategies now extend from antimicrobial stewardship and strict infection control in healthcare facilities to monitoring programmes that track resistance genes across food chains and natural habitats. Understanding the genetic basis and ecological dynamics of resistance in Acinetobacter spp. is pivotal to the development of novel therapeutics, diagnostics and containment measures that can curb the emergence of pan-resistant strains.
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Antimicrobial Resistance in Acinetobacter spp. publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in antimicrobial resistance in acinetobacter spp. across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Carbapenemase: An enzyme that hydrolyses carbapenem antibiotics, rendering them ineffective.
Efflux pump: A membrane protein complex that exports antibiotics out of bacterial cells, reducing intracellular drug concentration.
Biofilm: A surface-attached community of microorganisms encased in a self-produced matrix, conferring protection against antimicrobials.
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL): An enzyme capable of inactivating a wide range of β-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins and cephalosporins.
Multilocus sequence typing (MLST): A molecular technique that characterises bacterial strains by sequencing internal fragments of several housekeeping genes.
References
- Prevalence and Characterization of Beta-Lactam and Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Organic Fresh Produce Retailed in Eastern Spain. Antibiotics (2023).
- Acinetobacter baumannii, a Multidrug-Resistant Opportunistic Pathogen in New Habitats: A Systematic Review. Microorganisms (2024).
- Acinetobacter baumannii: Its Clinical Significance in Human and Veterinary Medicine. Pathogens (2021).
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