Acinetobacter represents a group of bacteria commonly found in soil and water across the globe. While several Acinetobacter species can cause illness in humans, Acinetobacter baumannii accounts for about 80% of all infections and is by far the most dangerous. Typically striking the lungs, bloodstream, or open wounds, these infections occur almost exclusively within healthcare settings, especially in intensive care units (ICUs). Because many Acinetobacter strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics, eradicating them is notoriously difficult. While prevention is not always foolproof, following key precautions can be genuinely lifesaving.

Preventing Acinetobacter Infections

1. Avoid hospital environments unless truly necessary. Acinetobacter bacteria pose very little risk to healthy individuals in day-to-day life. However, hospitalized patients, especially those with compromised immune systems, chronic lung disease, or diabetes, are far more vulnerable to severe Acinetobacter infections and life-threatening complications. Because of this, minimizing time spent in ICUs as either a patient or a visitor is critical.

While entering an intensive care unit is sometimes unavoidable, keeping up with proper medical management for chronic respiratory conditions and diabetes helps prevent medical emergencies that require critical care in the first place.

Transferring out of the ICU to a regular recovery ward as soon as your medical team approves can also significantly reduce your exposure risk. Talk openly with your doctors and nurses about your recovery progress and transfer timeline.

Healthy people generally face minimal danger, but visiting hospitalized loved ones, especially when spending extended time in critical care environments, still increases your potential exposure.

2. Wash your hands frequently. Proper and frequent hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to lower your risk of contracting any bacterial or viral infection while staying at or visiting a hospital. Wash thoroughly after using the restroom, after touching any person, and after coming into contact with communal surfaces. Be especially cautious around high-touch areas like doorknobs, light switches, bed rails, privacy curtains, bedside tables, and medical equipment.

Warm water and soap are typically sufficient to clean your hands, but alcohol-based sanitizers provide reliable extra defense against hospital bugs.

Use a clean paper towel as a physical barrier when gripping doorknobs or moving bed rails, then discard it immediately in the trash once you are back in bed.

Make sure hand sanitizer stays within arm’s reach of your hospital bed at all times.

Minimize Contact with Your Face and Others

3. Stop touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Even if you sanitize your hands regularly as an inpatient or visitor, make a conscious effort to break the habit of touching your face. Bacteria on your hands rarely cause harm on intact skin, but they can easily enter your bloodstream through your eyes, nose, or mouth. Keep your hands relaxed at your sides or resting on your lap instead.

If you do not wear prescription glasses, consider wearing protective eyewear or clear safety glasses to keep yourself from inadvertently rubbing your eyes.

Be mindful with cosmetics like eye makeup and lipstick, which can easily transfer bacteria. If you are admitted to the hospital, skipping makeup entirely until you return home is the safest approach.

4. Avoid direct physical contact with other patients. Showing empathy through physical touch comes naturally, but it dramatically increases your risk of contracting or spreading Acinetobacter, especially if you are also an inpatient. Hospitalized individuals frequently carry drug-resistant bacteria on their skin, clothing, and personal belongings.

Offering verbal encouragement, listening, and being emotionally supportive are great ways to help, but steer clear of physical contact, particularly in intensive care wards.

If you are an inpatient, never share personal items like towels, washcloths, razors, or clothing with other patients.

Acinetobacter spreads quickly through person-to-person contact or by coming into contact with contaminated medical surfaces.

Wear a protective face mask when around individuals who are coughing. This bacteria can travel through airborne droplets of mucus and saliva.