What is the importance of Acinetobacter baumanni in infections in the military? Is an infection always easy to treat? Why or why not?

Running Head : ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII

Acinetobacter baumannii infections in the military

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[Course] Acinetobacter baumannii infections in the military

Acinetobacter baumannii belongs to a species of gram negative , oxidase negative organisms . It is non motile and on microscopic examination appears as coccobacilli in pairs . Till date , about 25 different varieties of this organism have been identified . These bacteria are commonly found in the water and soil and recent evidence has shown that they are also found to be

colonizing the skin , throat and other sites in healthy human individuals (Defense , 2005 . These organisms are important in causing outbreaks of infections especially targeted at groups of individuals who are immunocompromised or critically ill especially those who have contracted traumatic injuries either in the context of natural disasters or during war circumstances (Scott , 2007 . These organisms can be acquired from the environment through contacts with fomites which have been infected via the environmental reservoir or more commonly via the hands of infected health care personnel and studies have proven that almost one third of health care professionals carry this organism on their hands . Therefore , nosocomial infection of A . baumannii is a common and well established entity and is becoming a major health concern over the past few decades . Moreover , in temperate climates , this organism has also been shown to contaminate wounds and hence cause infections in wounded individuals (Defense , 2005 . The most common infections caused by A . baumannii include nosocomial pneumonias , skin...