Acinetobacter is a genus of Proteobacteria. It is Gram-negative, non-motile , oxidase-negative , and occurs in pairs under magnification.

Identification

Using FLN, or Flourescence-Lactose-Denitrification medium , to find the amount of acid produced by metabolism of glucose, different species of bacteria under this genus can be identified.

Description

Species of the genus Acinetobacter, except some of the Acinetobacter lwoffii strain, grow very well on MacConkey agar. Most Acinetobacters are infectious, and the strain Acinetobacter baumannii is the most common in health care centers. A. baumannii can cause infections including skin and wound infections and pneumonia. It also causes meningitis, but A. lwoffi is mostly responsible for that.

Treatment

Since bacteria have evolved, most are immune to their first enemy, penicillin, and Acinetobacters are one of these bacteria. Also, they are immune to chloramphenicol, another common antibiotic. Therefore, the most potent treatment against this genus of bacteria is a combination of aminoglycoside and ticarcillin .