How is an Acinetobacter baumannii infection treated?

See your caregiver as soon as possible if you have signs or symptoms of Acinetobacter baumannii infection. Treating this infection right away can decrease the problems it may cause, and make the infection go away. Your treatment will depend on where in the body your infection is. For pneumonia, you may need oxygen, ventilator support, or medicines to help you breathe more easily. A ventilator is a machine that helps you breathe if you cannot breath well on your own. For a wound infection, you may need debridement surgery to remove dead tissue. Ask caregivers for more information if you need to have this surgery. You may also need one or more of the following:

• Isolation: If you are in the hospital, caregivers and visitors will wear gowns and gloves when in your room. They may also wear face masks. Supplies that are in your room will not be shared with other patients. This helps prevent spreading your infection to others. Everyone, including visitors should wash their hands before leaving your room to help prevent germs from spreading to others.
• Antibiotic medicines: Antibiotic (germ-killing) medicine will be used to treat your infection. Over time, your caregiver may need to change your medicine. He may give you more than one antibiotic medicine to take at one time. Ask your caregiver for more information about medicines that you need to take.
• Pain medicine: You may be given medicine to take at home to take away or decrease pain. Your caregiver will tell you how much to take and how often to take it. Take the medicine exactly as directed by your caregiver. Do not wait until the pain is too bad before taking your medicine. The medicine may not work as well at controlling your pain if you wait too long to take it. Tell caregivers if the pain medicine does not help, or if your pain comes back too soon.
• Fever medicine: This type of medicine is given to help lower your body temperature. Common medicines used to lower temperature include acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Lowering your body temperature may help you feel better.