Acinetobacter baumannii Source and Significance

By Daniel L. Prince, Ph.D., President, Gibraltar Laboratories Inc.

Acinetobacter baumannii has recently been the subject of a warning letter by Northeast (NJ) US Food and Drug Administration. It is a waterborne organism, and in debilitated individuals, causes opportunistic infections. Please contact Gibraltar Laboratories Inc. (973.227.6882, ext. 519) if you would like to further discuss the implications of this organism in your facility.

Since 1994 there has been an increased number of nosocomial infections associated with A. baumannii. This strain was associated with an outbreak that lasted four months in 1999. Noteworthy is the fact that most of the strains are resistant to penicillin and cephalasporin. According to a CDC report in February 1999, which stated in part “We are facing a serious global problem of antimicrobial resistance,” this information was thought to appropriate safeguards can be taken to protect raw materials and products against the presence of this new objectionable organism.