Drug‑resistant Acinetobacter baumannii: From molecular mechanisms to potential therapeutics (Review)

Exp Ther Med. 2023 Mar 23;25(5):209. doi: 10.3892/etm.2023.11908. eCollection 2023 May.

Abstract

Bacterial drug resistance is increasingly becoming an important problem that needs to be solved urgently in modern clinical practices. Infection caused by Acinetobacter baumannii is a serious threat to the life and health of patients. The drug resistance rate of Acinetobacter baumannii strains is increasing, thus research on the drug resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii has also seen an increase. When patients are infected with drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, the availability of suitable antibiotics commonly used in clinical practices is becoming increasingly limited and the prognosis of patients is worsening. Studying the molecular mechanism of the drug resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii is fundamental to solving the problem of drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and potentially other 'super bacteria'. Drug resistance mechanisms primarily include enzymes, membrane proteins, efflux pumps and beneficial mutations. Research on the underlying mechanisms provides a theoretical basis for the use and development of antibiotics and the development of novel treatment methods.

Keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii; antibiotics; drug resistance; treatment.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

Funding: The preparation of this manuscript was funded by the Hubei Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Infectious Disease Discipline Construction Project and the Inheritance and Development Project of Traditional Chinese medicines (grant no. Z155080000004).