Molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii, with a special focus on its epidemiology in Lebanon

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic bacterium involved in several types of infection with high mortality and morbidity, especially in intensive care units. Treatment of these infections remains a challenge due to the worldwide emergence of broad-spectrum resistance to many antibiotics. Following the implementation of molecular techniques to study A. baumannii outbreaks, it has been shown that they are mainly caused by specific clones such as international clones I, II and III. The present work aims to review the available data on the mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance in A. baumannii, with a special focus on the molecular epidemiology of this species in Lebanon.

Keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii; Antimicrobial resistance; Epidemiology; Lebanon; Molecular mechanisms.