The Battle Against Antibiotic Resistance: Novel Therapeutic Options for Acinetobacter baumannii

Abstract

Undoubtedly, Acinetobacter baumannii stands out as one of the most effective bacteria responsible for nosocomial infections within the healthcare system. Due to its multidrug-resistant nature and the frequency of outbreaks that it causes the treatment of infections caused by this bacterium is challenging, antimicrobial combination therapy has been utilized to treat multidrug resistance Gram-negatives when monotherapy is ineffective. In contrast to antibiotics or short peptides, which possess only the capacity to bind and regulate a specific target, antibodies exhibit supplementary properties attributed to their Fc region, including opsonophagocytic activity, the agglutination process, and activation of the complement system. The criticality of antibodies is exemplified in triggering immunity against A. baumannii, stimulating protective mechanisms, preventing bacterial attachment to epithelial cells, opsonization, and complement-dependent bacterial destruction. Given antibodies’ significant role in humoral immunity, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) may be generated to specifically bind to certain targets, thereby providing supplemental defense as a form of immunotherapy or passive immunization. Many encouraging tactics, ranging from phage therapy to immunotherapy, are being scrutinized for their efficacy in treating infectious diseases, thus shaping the future treatment landscape.