Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia: a case report and review of the literature

Bacteria that constitute the genus Acinetobacter were originally identified in the first decade of the 20th century. However, it was not until the last decade that its role as an opportunistic pathogen was fully appreciated. It is now clear that Acinetobacter is an important cause of nosocomial infection and contributes significantly to the patient's morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of infection with A. baumannii has increased significantly during the last decade. At the same time, A. baumannii has developed one of the most impressive patterns of antibiotic resistance ever observed, establishing it as an important nosocomial pathogen. It has been nicknamed the "Gram-negative MRSA" because of its frequent resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Infection with A. baumannii should be suspected in hospitalized patients who are not responding to initial empiric antibiotic treatment, and the therapeutic approach should be customized according to when the pathogen is isolated.