Acinetobacter baumannii
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Context
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Xacduro as a new treatment for hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex (A. baumannii).
Details
About
- Acinetobacter baumannii is a typically short, almost round, rod-shaped (coccobacillus) Gram-negative bacterium- which means it has a protective outer membrane that allows it to resist antibiotics.
- It is named after the bacteriologist Paul Baumann.
Colloquial name
- Colloquially, baumannii is referred to as "Iraqibacter" due to its seemingly sudden emergence in military treatment facilities during the Iraq War.
“Red alert” pathogen”
- baumannii was acknowledged even a decade ago to be a “red alert” pathogen “primarily because of its exceptional ability to develop resistance to all currently available antibiotics”. This remains the case today.
Locomotion
- Bacteria of this genus lack flagella, whip-like structures many bacteria use for locomotion, but exhibit twitching or swarming motility. This may be due to the activity of type IV pili, pole-like structures that can be extended and retracted.
Impact
- It can be an opportunistic pathogen in humans, affecting people with compromised immune systems, and is becoming increasingly important as a hospital-derived (nosocomial) infection.
- It has been associated with hospital-acquired infections in India.
Habitat
- Although occasionally it has been found in environmental soil and water samples, its natural habitat is still not known.
Trivia
PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements: 1. Acinetobacter baumannii is a typically short, almost round, rod-shaped (coccobacillus) Gram-negative bacterium. 2. A. baumannii was acknowledged as a “red alert” pathogen “primarily because of its exceptional ability to develop resistance to all currently available antibiotics”. 3. A. baumannii has been associated with hospital-acquired infections in India. How many of the above statements are correct? a) Only one b) Only two c) All three d) None. Answer: c) All three statements are correct. |