دانشگاه اصفهان زیست شناسی میکروبی 3060-7647 13 52 2024 12 21 Acinetobacter baumannii: A current review of virulence factors and their clinical significance Acinetobacter baumannii: A current review of virulence factors and their clinical significance 35 53 28335 10.22108/bjm.2024.140451.1581 FA Wan Syaidatul Aqma Wan Mohd Noor Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, National University of Malaysia, Malaysia Nurrul Syairah A Shukor Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Malaysia Mohd Asif Mohd Sukri Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Malaysia Journal Article 2024 01 16 The alarming rate of <em>Acinetobacter baumannii</em> infections necessitates immediate attention to tackle this issue. The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains has greatly complicated the treatment, making it a challenging endeavour. This problem has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with higher mortality rates observed among COVID-19 patients infected with multidrug-resistant <em>A. baumannii </em>during treatment. Infections caused by <em>A. baumannii</em> result in a range of health complications, such as urinary tract infections, wound infections, bacteraemia, pneumonia, meningitis, heightened morbidity, and in severe cases, even mortality. The virulence factors and mechanisms of pathogenesis of <em>A. baumannii</em> are complex and still encompassing areas of ongoing investigation. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge regarding key virulence factors, including the secretion of proteases, lipases, catalase, and motility, which contribute to the pathogenesis of <em>A. baumannii</em> infection. Additionally, the review explores the organism’s resistance and persistence strategy, primarily attributed to its remarkable ability to form biofilms on various surfaces, rendering complete eradication from medical devices an arduous task. Overall, this review emphasizes the importance of<em> A. baumannii</em> as a significant pathogen in healthcare settings and underscores the need for continued research to develop more effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of <em>A. baumannii</em> infections. The alarming rate of <em>Acinetobacter baumannii</em> infections necessitates immediate attention to tackle this issue. The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains has greatly complicated the treatment, making it a challenging endeavour. This problem has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with higher mortality rates observed among COVID-19 patients infected with multidrug-resistant <em>A. baumannii </em>during treatment. Infections caused by <em>A. baumannii</em> result in a range of health complications, such as urinary tract infections, wound infections, bacteraemia, pneumonia, meningitis, heightened morbidity, and in severe cases, even mortality. The virulence factors and mechanisms of pathogenesis of <em>A. baumannii</em> are complex and still encompassing areas of ongoing investigation. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge regarding key virulence factors, including the secretion of proteases, lipases, catalase, and motility, which contribute to the pathogenesis of <em>A. baumannii</em> infection. Additionally, the review explores the organism’s resistance and persistence strategy, primarily attributed to its remarkable ability to form biofilms on various surfaces, rendering complete eradication from medical devices an arduous task. Overall, this review emphasizes the importance of<em> A. baumannii</em> as a significant pathogen in healthcare settings and underscores the need for continued research to develop more effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of <em>A. baumannii</em> infections. https://bjm.ui.ac.ir/article_28335_16d29637aaedc1f1f56cf68525bbab84.pdf