A Study on Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus Strains Recovered from the Same Infection Site of a Diabetic Patient

Curr Microbiol. 2019 Jul;76(7):842-847. doi: 10.1007/s00284-019-01696-7. Epub 2019 May 3.

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcer infections are frequently polymicrobial in nature and exhibit increased morbidity and mortality, as well as, treatment failures. Interactions between Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus were studied, which showed strain-dependent changes in growth and antibiotic susceptibility. This study examined the interactions between two clinical strains of A. baumannii (1929) and S. aureus (1928) that were recovered from skin and soft tissues of a diabetic patient. When S. aureus 1928 and A. baumannii 1929 were co-cultured together, there was no significant decrease in growth in either clinical strains, indicating that both strains can co-exist in the same site of infection. Additionally, neither strains experienced statistically significant changes in susceptibility. These findings highlight that these two pathogens can be found in the same niche of infection, which may lead to more aggressive outcome of the infection.

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter Infections / microbiology*
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / drug effects
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / growth & development
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / isolation & purification
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / physiology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Coinfection / microbiology*
  • Diabetes Complications / microbiology
  • Diabetic Foot / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Interactions*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Soft Tissue Infections / microbiology*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Staphylococcus aureus / growth & development
  • Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
  • Staphylococcus aureus / physiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents