Evaluation of the Emerging Multidrug- Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Clinical Samples from Tertiary Care Hospitals in Mysore, India - a Cohort Study

Objectives: Acinetobacter baumannii is an important emerging nosocomial pathogen of alarming significance. It has the propensity not only to cause much morbidity and mortality, but is also leading to the uselessness of the available limited antibiotic drugs due to the rampant resistance. Materials and Methods: The present study aims to document and evaluate the current situation on the available treatment options for A. baumannii nosocomial infection, mainly the carbapenem drug- imipenem, colistin, and tigecycline and to analyze the drug safety and any/all of the adverse drug reactions related to this drug therapy. Results: Results of this study probe that carbapenem resistance is seen in about 86% of all Acinetobacter isolates. Colistin is the best available treatment for multi-drug resistant species with 100% cure rate and fewer serious life threatening adverse effects with the long duration therapy that is required in this case. The only concern remained the patient compliance to the abdominal symptoms (56.7% of nausea, 14.43% vomiting and 4.12% diarrhea) which was statistically significant (P = 0.049). Conclusion: Overall, colistin therapy can be regarded as the best treatment for multi-drug resistant A. baumannii, which opens avenues for further studies on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of this drug.