The clinical significance of Acinetobacter species

Of 50 consecutive patients from whom Acinetobacter species were isolated, only one had an infection due to the organism which required antibiotic therapy. Fourteen of the isolates were associated with minor body surface infections and the remainder occurred as the result of either colonization without infection or culture contamination. The taxonomy, natural occurrence and antibiotic sensitivity of Acinetobacter species and their differentiation from more pathogenic organisms are reviewed.