Study finds increase in drug-resistant A. baumannii infections

A study published April 17 by BMC Infectious Diseases found increased incidents of Acinetobacter baumannii and carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii infections between 2018 to 2022. A. baumannii is a pathogen considered to be a major cause of health care-associated infections. The study found that A. baumannii cases per 100 hospitalization encounters grew from 1.15 in 2018 to 1.25 in 2021, before dropping to 1.11 in 2022. The CRAB incidence rate grew from 0.39 cases per 100 hospitalization encounters in 2018 to 0.53 cases in 2022. 
 
Researchers said the pathogen’s ability to survive in hospitals and in patients not showing any symptoms for extended periods of time contributed to increased outbreaks.