Acinetobacter baumannii -UPSC Current Affairs

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Context

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Xacduro as a new treatment for hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex (A. baumannii).

Details

About

Acinetobacter baumannii is a typically short, almost round, rod-shaped (coccobacillus) Gram-negative bacterium- which means it has a protective outer membrane that allows it to resist antibiotics.
It is named after the bacteriologist Paul Baumann.

Colloquial name

Colloquially, baumannii is referred to as "Iraqibacter" due to its seemingly sudden emergence in military treatment facilities during the Iraq War.

“Red alert” pathogen”

baumannii was acknowledged even a decade ago to be a “red alert” pathogen “primarily because of its exceptional ability to develop resistance to all currently available antibiotics”. This remains the case today.

Locomotion

Bacteria of this genus lack flagella, whip-like structures many bacteria use for locomotion, but exhibit twitching or swarming motility. This may be due to the activity of type IV pili, pole-like structures that can be extended and retracted.

Impact

It can be an opportunistic pathogen in humans, affecting people with compromised immune systems, and is becoming increasingly important as a hospital-derived (nosocomial) infection.
It has been associated with hospital-acquired infections in India.

Habitat

Although occasionally it has been found in environmental soil and water samples, its natural habitat is still not known.

Trivia

READ: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/gram-negative-bacteria#:~:text=The%20Gram%20stain%20procedure%20distinguishes,these%20cells%20are%20stained%20with.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. Acinetobacter baumannii is a typically short, almost round, rod-shaped (coccobacillus) Gram-negative bacterium.

2. A. baumannii was acknowledged as a “red alert” pathogen “primarily because of its exceptional ability to develop resistance to all currently available antibiotics”.

3. A. baumannii has been associated with hospital-acquired infections in India.

How many of the above statements are correct?

a) Only one

b) Only two

c) All three

d) None.

Answer: c) All three statements are correct.

https://consumer.healthday.com/fda-approves-xacduro-for-difficult-to-treat-bacterial-pneumonia-2660718480.html