title: Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii: mechanisms of virulence and resistance.
abstract: Infection due to Acinetobacter baumannii has become a significant challenge to modern healthcare systems. The organism shows a formidable capacity to develop antimicrobial resistance, yet the clinical impact of A. baumannii infection remains unclear. Much is known about the processes involved in multidrug resistance, but those underlying the pathogenicity and virulence potential of the organism are only beginning to be elucidated. In this article, we provide an overview of current knowledge, focusing on mechanisms of pathogenesis, the molecular basis of resistance and options for treatment in the absence of novel therapeutic agents.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection, Barts & The London NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wareham
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors