A dangerous bacteria is finding its way to U.S. hospitals, and researchers said the super bug is connected to men and women who are back from serving in Iraq.
Experts said acinetobacter baumannii is not a significant problem yet, but two University of Nebraska Medical Center researchers are leading the charge to find a way to treat it. Dr. Paul Dunman and his team are conducting research on the bacteria.
"What's particularly problematic, and why it's becoming in the public eye more and more, is that strains of AB have developed resistance to all currently available antibiotics," Dunman said.
Acinetobacter baumannii typically doesn't affect a healthy individual, but is often lethal in individuals with a compromised immune system.
"The rate of morbidity and mortality are very high with some of these strains," Dunman said.
Researchers said they have noticed that the bacteria is causing infections in soldiers coming back from Iraq. It was first noted almost 100 years ago, mostly in tropical areas. It typically lives in water or soil
"One of the hypotheses has been when there's an explosion there is the transfer of the bacteria from the soil to the patient," Dunman said.
