An integrative review on the risk factors, prevention, and control strategies for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii colonization in critically ill patients

Shihan Zhang; Jie Xiao; Yanan Li; Wei Li; Yihui Li; Mingmin Pang; Meichen Yan; Hui Han; Yi Cui; Xuehai Zhang; Hao Wang

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2024.1519906

An integrative review on the risk factors, prevention, and control strategies for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii colonization in critically ill patients

Front Microbiol. 2025 Jan 10:15:1519906. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1519906. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Shihan Zhang^#^{1

2}, Jie Xiao^#^{1

2}, Yanan Li^{1

2}, Wei Li³, Yihui Li^{1

2}, Mingmin Pang^{1

2}, Meichen Yan^{1

2}, Hui Han^{1

2}, Yi Cui^{1

2}, Xuehai Zhang^{1

2}, Hao Wang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
² Innovation Research Center for Sepsis and Multiple Organ Injury, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
³ Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

The presence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAb) has become one of the leading causes of life-threatening, hospital-acquired infections globally, especially with a notable prevalence in intensive care units (ICUs). The cross-transmission of microorganisms between patients and the hospital setting is crucial in the development of CRAb colonization and subsequent infections. Recent studies indicate that colonization typically precedes infection, suggesting the effectiveness and necessity of preventing CRAb colonization as a primary method to lower infection risks. As CRAb infections tend to draw more attention due to their severe symptoms and poor outcomes, understanding the link between colonization and infection is equally vital. To establish a foundation for prevention and control strategies against CRAb colonization in ICUs, we present a comprehensive review of research pertaining to CRAb in ICUs. This encompasses an analysis of the resistance mechanisms and epidemiological characteristics of CRAb, a discussion on associated risk factors, adverse outcomes, and an evaluation of detection methods and preventive strategies.

Keywords: CRAb; colonization; hazard; prevention; risk factors.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 82072231), Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2023YQ068), and Taishan Scholars Program of Shandong Province (award no. tsqn202103165).