Acinetobacter Infections: Understanding Different Varieties and Remedies
Acinetobacter infections, a growing concern in healthcare settings, are caused by a type of bacteria known as Acinetobacter baumannii. This bacterium is notorious for causing blood infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and wound infections.
Symptoms of Acinetobacter infections can appear between 4 and 40 days after contact, but usually within 12 days. The bacteria are often found in wet environments such as soil, mud, wetlands, wastewater, fish farms, seawater, and can also be discovered on vegetables, dairy products, meat, livestock, and human skin.
Acinetobacter is a type of bacteria resistant to many antibiotics, making it a challenging pathogen to treat. In fact, many types of Acinetobacter are resistant to almost all types of antibiotics, including carbapenems, leading to terms like carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter (CRAB) infection.
The highest rates of Acinetobacter infections happen in intensive care units, where patients are often in poor health, using medical equipment such as ventilators and catheters, and undergoing invasive procedures. People working or receiving treatment in these healthcare settings are at a higher risk of getting Acinetobacter infections.
Certain factors increase the risk of Acinetobacter infections, including a weakened immune system, chronic lung conditions, diabetes, using a ventilator, using catheters, open wounds from surgery, being in intensive care, long-term hospital stays, and being in poor health.
However, it's important to note that healthy people can carry Acinetobacter bacteria on their skin, particularly if they work in a healthcare setting. In such cases, the bacteria may not always produce symptoms and a person can carry it without it causing any infections.
To prevent Acinetobacter infections, healthcare workers and people receiving treatment can take precautions such as taking antibiotics only when necessary, cleaning hospital rooms and facilities daily, cleaning medical equipment and surfaces rigorously, wearing gowns and gloves when treating a person with an Acinetobacter infection, washing the hands thoroughly, and avoiding touching surfaces in healthcare facilities.
Researchers are studying new antibiotics as a potential treatment option for Acinetobacter infections. Other antibiotic treatments, such as beta-lactam antibiotics, or other antimicrobial drugs may be used to treat Acinetobacter infections.
References:
[1] CDC. (2021). Multidrug-Resistant Organisms (MDROs) | Acinetobacter. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hai/organisms/acinetobacter/index.html
[2] World Health Organization. (2017). Priority pathogens list 2017. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications-detail/priority-pathogens-list-2017
[3] European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. (2018). Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Retrieved from https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/antimicrobial-resistance/diseases/carbapenem-resistant-acinetobacter-baumannii
[4] National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2021). Acinetobacter baumannii Infections. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Retrieved from https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/acinetobacter-baumannii-infections
- The superbug, Acinetobacter, poses a significant threat to other sexual health and medical-conditions, particularly in emergency situations, as it is often resistant to many types of medicine, including carbapenems.
- In healthcare settings, Acinetobacter infections, such as pneumonia and wound infections, are of great concern due to the bacteria's resistance to antibiotics, leading to the term carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter (CRAB) infection.
- People working in healthcare settings, those with chronic lung conditions, diabetes, or using medical equipment like ventilators and catheters, are at a higher risk of developing Acinetobacter infections.
- Science is currently focused on discovering new medicine for treating Acinetobacter infections, with other antibiotic treatments and antimicrobial drugs being potential options.
- While healthy people can carry Acinetobacter bacteria on their skin, particularly in healthcare settings, it's essential to follow preventive measures, such as thorough hand washing and rigorous cleaning of hospital rooms, medical equipment, and surfaces, to reduce the risk of health-and-wellness issues related to Acinetobacter.
