Acinetobacter Metabolism in Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance

Acinetobacter infections have high rates of mortality due to an increasing incidence of infections by multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively-drug-resistant (XDR) strains. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of Acinetobacter infections are urgently needed. Acinetobacter spp. are Gram-negative coccobacilli that are obligate aerobes and can utilize a wide variety of carbon sources. Acinetobacter baumannii is the main cause of Acinetobacter infections, and recent work has identified multiple strategies A. baumannii uses to acquire nutrients and replicate in the face of host nutrient restriction. Some host nutrient sources also serve antimicrobial and immunomodulatory functions. Hence, understanding Acinetobacter metabolism during infection may provide new insights into novel infection control measures. In this review, we focus on the role of metabolism during infection and in resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents and discuss the possibility that metabolism may be exploited to identify novel targets to treat Acinetobacter infections.