Community-acquired acinetobacter pneumonia in adults in Papua New Guinea

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, an aerobic gram-negative coccobacillus, is a rare cause of community-acquired pneumonia. It most commonly causes nosocomial infections, particularly in elderly debilitated patients who have undergone surgery, instrumentation, and antibiotic therapy. In a study of acute pneumonia in adults, five cases of community-acquired acinetobacter pneumonia were observed over an 11-month period. Other than chronic pulmonary disease (two patients), no serious underlying diseases existed in these patients. Lobar consolidation was the predominant radiologic pattern. The mortality rate was 40%, and mortality was directly related to therapy with inappropriate antibiotics. The reason for this relatively high prevalence of community-acquired acinetobacter pneumonia in the population studied is not known. Possible explanations include the high prevalence of chronic pulmonary disease, indiscriminate use of penicillin, and an unknown immunodeficiency state.