I'm a Scourge, and I am Getting Stronger

Who am I?

Sorry I don't give autographs, as I simply haven't got the time. My claim to fame, you ask? Well, I'm a Gram-negative bacteria that has become one of the most difficult pathogens to treat! I know other bugs say they're tough, but they don't mess with me, and you won't want to, either.

I shouldn't claim all the credit for my status, although my sudden rise has gone to my head, if you haven't already noticed. Ah, vanity! My species was largely unknown several decades ago, but we have risen to power and prominence partly because of our clan's ability to trigger infections in immunocompromised patients. I can cause a spectrum of infections, but I most commonly affect the lower respiratory tract, followed by blood and wound invasion. If your patients develop ventilator-associated pneumonia or central line-associated bloodstream infection, I'm most likely the culprit.

I am primarily a healthcare-associated pathogen, thus the risk factors for colonization and infection by me and my kin are also healthcare-associated. Risk factors for acquisition include recent exposure to antimicrobial agents, presence of central venous catheters or urinary catheters, severity of illness, duration of hospital stay, location in an intensive care unit, larger hospital size, and recent surgery

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