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Determine the severity and the course of Acinetobacter baumannii blood infections (AbBI).We carried out a prospective review of all Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) isolated from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a medical facility.During the study period, 46 patients were identified with AbBI. The rate of AbBI was 14 per 1,000 admissions. A. baumannii was ICU acquired in 85% of cases studied. The median time frame between ICU admission and acquisition of AbBI was 9 +/- 7 days. 31 patients displayed blood infection (BI) by A. baumannii alone and 15 with polymicrobial BI. The clinical manifestation of the 31 patients with AbBI included the following symptoms: 42% presented with septic shock, 42% had severe sepsis and 16% had sepsis. Two or more episodes of AbBI were observed among 13% of patients. Of A. baumannii isolates, 17% were resistant to imipenem. Patient mortality with AbBI alone was 45% and 40% for polymicrobial BI. Patient mortality for septic shock was 60%, 70% died during the first 72 hrs after AbBI.AbBI displayed an endemic pattern during the study period. Severe sepsis and septic shock were the most common clinical presentations of AbBI. AbBI are associated with a significant increase in the death rate of patient in the ICU studied.