Carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii: the molecular epidemic features of an emerging problem in health care facilities

Raffaele Zarrilli; Maria Giannouli; Federica Tomasone; Maria Triassi; Athanassios Tsakris

doi:10.3855/jidc.240

Carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii: the molecular epidemic features of an emerging problem in health care facilities

Authors

Raffaele Zarrilli Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Hygiene Section, University of Naples Federico II, Naples
Maria Giannouli Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Hygiene Section, University of Naples Federico II, Naples
Federica Tomasone Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Hygiene Section, University of Naples Federico II, Naples
Maria Triassi Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Hygiene Section, University of Naples Federico II, Naples
Athanassios Tsakris Department of Microbiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.240

Keywords:

Acinetobacter baumannii, nosocomial outbreaks, genotyping, carbapenemases

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic gram-negative pathogen with increasing relevance in a variety of nosocomial infections especially among intensive-care-unit (ICU) patients. Carbapenems have been widely used to treat serious multidrug-resistant A. baumannii infections; however, incidences of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii are rising in several parts of the world and large and sustained outbreaks caused by such bacteria have been described. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii epidemics are sustained by clusters of highly similar strains that successfully spread among different cities and countries; their resistance phenotype is mainly due to the acquisition of carbapenem-hydrolyzing class D β-lactamase (CHDL) genes flanked by insertion sequence (IS) elements. Multi-facility outbreaks can be also sustained by inter-hospital transfer of colonized patients. Here, we review the global epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii, with the emphasis on the molecular epidemiology and genetic characterization of carbapenem resistance in epidemic strains.

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Published

2009-06-01

How to Cite

Zarrilli R, Giannouli M, Tomasone F, Triassi M, Tsakris A (2009) Carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii: the molecular epidemic features of an emerging problem in health care facilities. J Infect Dev Ctries 3:335–341. doi: 10.3855/jidc.240

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Issue

Vol. 3 No. 05: June 2009

Section

Reviews

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