Turning to old remedies for new health challenges

The last thing anyone wants during a stay in the hospital is a hospital-acquired infection. Nosocomial infections, as they are called, are on the rise as more pathogens become resistant to drugs currently available. One pathogen tops the list as one of the most common, one of the most frequently fatal, and one of the most difficult to treat - Acinetobacter baumannii. A. baumannii is included on the World Health Organization's ESKAPE list, a collection of bacteria that are becoming increasingly antibiotic-resistant. With resistance on the rise, research into alternative therapies is paramount, and in some cases returning to old therapies is proving effective.