Antimicrobial Resistance and Clones of Acinetobacter Species and

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is problematic in clinical settings and is a growing threat to public health. Multidrug-resistant and pandrug-resistant non-fermenters such as Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have recently emerged as a great concern worldwide. Particularly, the prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter spp. and P. aeruginosa is problematic, and emergence of polymyxin resistance is ominous. In this review, we discuss carbapenem and polymyxin resistance in Acinetobacter spp. and P. aeruginosa isolates and their major clones. Key Words: Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Antimicrobial resistance, Carbapenems, Polymyxins Acinetobacter is a Gram-negative coccobacillus, although this morphology is very dependent on its growth phase (1, 2). Originally viewed as a commensal with low virulence in the 1970s, it was often ignored in clinical setting (3). However, Acinetobacter spp. have emerged as one of the major causal agents of nosocomial infections associated with significant morbidity and mortality, especially in immuncompromised patients and patients in intensive care units (ICUs) (3). These pathogens are responsible for pneumonia, urinar