Researchers identify new tools for anti-Acinetobacter drug development and AMR preparedness
September 10, 2024
University of Liverpool researchers have engineered a library of strains that can be used to develop new antibacterial compounds to help address antimicrobial resistance(AMR) in Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria.
Acinetobacter baumannii (or A. baumannii) is a bacterial species commonly found in environmental settings such as water and soil.
A. baumannii has been named as one of the top priority pathogens by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is the cause of most prevalent multi-drug resistant infections in healthcare settings.
A. baumannii persists in hostile environments by readily forming biofilms -- clusters of microorganisms that stick to non-biological surfaces -- and utilising multiple resistance mechanisms to overcome exposure to antimicrobial agents and other environmental toxins.