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Genetic basis of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic Acinetobacter species
Author(s) -
Poirel Laurent,
Bonnin Rémy A.,
Nordmann Patrice
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
iubmb life
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.132
H-Index - 113
eISSN - 1521-6551
pISSN - 1521-6543
DOI - 10.1002/iub.532
Subject(s) - acinetobacter baumannii , efflux , biology , antibiotics , antibiotic resistance , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , multiple drug resistance , genetics , acinetobacter , resistance (ecology) , drug resistance , bacteria , pseudomonas aeruginosa , ecology
Antibiotic resistance in Acinetobacter spp., particularly Acinetobacter baumannii , is increasing rapidly. A. baumannii possesses two intrinsic β‐lactamase genes, in addition to weak permeability and efflux systems, that together confer a natural reduced susceptibility to antibiotics. In addition, numerous acquired mechanisms of resistance have been identified in A. baumannii . The very high genetic plasticity of A. baumannii allows an accumulation of resistance determinants that give rise to multidrug resistance at an alarming rate. The role of novel genetic elements, such as resistance islands, in concentrating antibiotic resistance genes in A. baumannii requires detailed investigation in the near future. © 2011 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 63(12): 1061–1067, 2011