Acinetobacter

Acinetobacter have become one of the most difficult bacteria to treat. The species, A. baumannii, can cause infections in patients with weakened immune systems. It is now in many hospitals and is resistant to nearly all antibiotics capable of treating this type of infection, including a class of antibiotics called carbapenems. These infections are referred to as carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter (CRAB) infections.

These bacteria are most often spread personto-person in healthcare settings through contact with infected or colonized people (people who carry the bacteria and can spread it, but do not have symptoms), particularly contact with wounds or stool. They can cause infections when they enter the body, often through medical devices like intravenous catheters, urinary catheters, through wounds caused by injury, surgery or exposure in the environment.