%0 Journal Article %T Phenotypic Characterization and Prevalence of Carbapenemase-Producing <i>Acinetobacter baumanii</i> Isolates in Four Health Facilities in Cameroon %A C¨¦cile Ingrid Djuikoue %A Benhamed Nadjia %A Paule Dana Djouela Djoulako %A Celianthe Guegang %A Cedric Seugnou Nana %A H¨¦l¨¨ne Val¨¦rie Same Njanjo %A Yemina Grace Kombeu %A Christiane Kiyang Possi %A Rodrigue Kamga Wouambo %A Gandhi Ndieffouo Fosso %A Merim¨¦ Joel Tchinda Talokou %A Bianca Tchounga Chimi %A Olivier Pomte %A Agbor Michael %A Benjamin D. Thumamo Pokam %A Nicolas Antoine-Moussiaux %J Open Journal of Medical Microbiology %P 234-249 %@ 2165-3380 %D 2023 %I Scientific Research Publishing %R 10.4236/ojmm.2023.133019 %X Background and Objective: Nowadays, the clinical utility of carbapenems is threatened by the emergence of resistant bacteria, favored by its increasing use. According to the WHO, Acinetobacter baumannii: nosocomial infection agent, tops the list of priority antibiotic-resistant pathogens, considered to be the riskiest for humans. This study sought to determine the prevalence of carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii strains in four health facilities in the Center and Littoral regions of Cameroon and the associated risk factors. Materials and Method: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted over a six-month period from January to June 2022. All suspicious A. baumanii isolates obtained from pathological samples at the bacteriology laboratory of the different health facilities were systematically collected and re-identified. Re-identification and antimicrobial susceptibility Testing (AST) were performed using the VITEK 2 System and the Kirby-Bauer method according to the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Detection and phenotypic characterization of carbapenemases was performed according to adequate standard procedures. Results: A total of 168/226 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii were confirmed after re-identification, among which 52.69% derived from male patients, 55.09% from participants aged between 10 - 39 years old, and 46.71% from pus samples. A very high resistance rates to all families of antibiotics was noted, except to colistin (10.2%). 40.12% of these isolates produced carbapenemase, represented by 62.69% of class B and 37.31% of class A. Carbapenemase production was observed only at HMR1,