Acinetobacter are free living gram-negative coccobacilli that emerge as significant nosocomial pathogens in the hospital setting and are responsible for intermittent outbreaks in the intensive care unit. The rising prevalence of Acinetobacter infection in the intensive care units ( ICUs) causes a great concern due to their extraordinary ability to develop resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. The aim of the study was to determine the risk factors for Acinetobacter infections among

more »

... nts who admitted into the ICU at King Khalid hospital, in Najran, KSA. A total of 160 patients were recruited for this study during the period from Aug. 2016 to April. 2017. Tracheal aspirate, sputum, catheter urine specimen, and blood culture were collected aseptically from the patients. The specimens were cultured on blood agar and Herellea agar and identification of clinical isolates was performed by classical bacteriological techniques. Acinetobacter was isolated in 35 ( 19.4%) patients . Six (17.14%) of them were males compared with eight cases (22.86%) observed among the females. There is no significant difference in the prevalence of Acinetobacter infection between both sexes (P-value= 0.460). Acinetobacter was isolated from tracheal secretions in 15/35 ( 42.86%) , followed by sputum 8/35 ( 22.86%) , wounds 5/35 ( 14.29%) , central venous line ( CVL) 3/35( 8.57 %) , urine 2/35 ( 5.71% ), and blood 2/35 ( 5.71%). It was concluded that Acinetobacter is an important nosocomial infection pathogen in the ICU patients due to numerous of factors in terms of patients with old ages, patients with chronic underlying diseases, and in patients that undergoing invasive procedures. Few treatment options are currently available and for this reason, prevention and infection control measures are essential, including antibiotic control strategies in the ICU.