Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Latin America

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important bacterial pathogen associated with healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), especially in critically ill patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICU). Its ability to acquire antibiotic resistance determinants has propelled its clinical relevance. The rise in Acinetobacter infections and hospital outbreaks have been extensively described worldwide and are usually caused by carbapenem-resistant isolates. To compound the problem, Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAb) isolates are also resistant to a wide range of other antibiotics, representing a serious threat to public health. Since 2017, A. baumannii has been listed as a critical priority pathogen that poses a great threat to human health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The carbapenem-resistant rates in A. baumannii are notorious around the world. However, Latin America has one of the highest in the world. Carbapenem resistance in A. baumannii is due mainly to the presence of horizontally acquired OXA-type carbapenem resistance genes, including blaOXA-23, in most regions. Thus, this review aims to summarize the distribution of CRAb and its major carbapenem resistance mechanisms in Latin America.