Acinetobacter calcoaceticus is a bacterial species of the genusAcinetobacter. It is a nonmotile, Gram-negative coccobacillus. It grows under aerobic conditions, is catalase positive and oxidase negative. A. calcoaceticus is a part of the A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex together with Acinetobacter baumannii, Acinetobacter nosocomialis, Acinetobacter pitti and Acinetobacter seifertii.
Since the 1990s, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has escalated dramatically among Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex [ABC]). Global spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR)-ABC strains reflects dissemination of a few clones between hospitals, geographic regions, and continents; excessive antibiotic use amplifies this spread. Many isolates are resistant to all antimicrobials except colistimethate sodium and tetracyclines (minocycline or tigecycline); some infections are untreatable with existing antimicrobial agents. AMR poses a serious threat to effectively treat or prevent ABC infections. Strategies to curtail environmental colonization with MDR-ABC require aggressive infection-control efforts and cohorting of infected patients. Thoughtful antibiotic strategies are essential to limit the spread of MDR-ABC. Optimal therapy will likely require combination antimicrobial therapy with existing antibiotics as well as development of novel antibiotic classes 1).
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