Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Replication of the Ordered, Nonredundant Library of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14 Transposon Insertion Mutants
Published on: May 4, 2018
Update on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii infections in the healthcare setting
Shiri Navon-Venezia1, Ronen Ben-Ami, Yehuda Carmeli
1Divisions of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Purpose Of Review:
Infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii are of great concern for hospitalized patients, especially with multidrug-resistant strains. This review focuses on recent data that may help us to understand the emergence, spread, and persistence of antibiotic resistance, and summarizes the optional treatment feasible for these resistant bacteria.
Recent Findings:
Multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii are increasingly causing nosocomial infections; multidrug-resistant clones are spreading into new geographic areas, and susceptible strains are acquiring resistance genes. New extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and carbapenemases are emerging, leading to pan-resistant strains. Current studies focus on the effect of antibiotics on gene expression in P. aeruginosa biofilms and their contribution to resistance to therapy. Treatment options for multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii infections are limited in most cases to carbapenems. Sulbactam is a treatment option for pan-resistant A. baumannii, and or renewed use of an old drug, colistin, is being entertained for pan-resistant A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa. Immunotherapy is a promising new modality being explored. Prevention of emergence of resistance through combination therapy and pharmacokinetic strategies are studied.
Summary:
The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii and their genetic potential to carry and transfer diverse antibiotic resistance determinants pose a major threat in hospitals. The complex interplay of clonal spread, persistence, transfer of resistance elements, and cell-cell interaction contribute to the difficulty in treating infections caused by these multidrug-resistant strains. In the absence of new antibiotic agents, new modalities of treatment should be developed.
Insights
Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii pose significant hospital threats. Limited treatment options necessitate exploring novel therapies and preventive strategies against these persistent infections.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Hospital-acquired infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii are a major concern, particularly with multidrug-resistant strains.
- These resistant bacteria are spreading globally, acquiring new resistance genes, and leading to pan-resistant strains.
- Understanding the mechanisms of emergence, spread, and persistence of antibiotic resistance is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent data on the emergence, spread, and persistence of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii.
- To summarize feasible treatment options for infections caused by these multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent data on antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii.
- Analysis of current treatment strategies and emerging therapeutic modalities.
Main Results:
- Multidrug-resistant strains are increasingly prevalent, spreading geographically, and acquiring new resistance mechanisms like extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and carbapenemases.
- Treatment options are limited, often relying on carbapenems, with sulbactam and colistin considered for pan-resistant cases.
- Immunotherapy shows promise, and research is ongoing into combination therapy and pharmacokinetic strategies to prevent resistance.
Conclusions:
- The spread of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, coupled with their genetic capacity for resistance transfer, presents a significant hospital threat.
- The complex factors contributing to treatment difficulty include clonal spread, resistance gene transfer, and bacterial interactions.
- Development of new treatment modalities is essential due to the lack of new antibiotic agents.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:28Acute Pyelonephritis II: Diagnostic Studies and Management
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
01:29Pneumonia I: Introduction
01:30Pneumonia I: Introduction
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...