Synergistic Rifabutin and Colistin Reduce Emergence of Resistance When Treating Acinetobacter baumannii

Recently, we reported rifabutin hyperactivity against Acinetobacter baumannii We sought to characterize potential interactions between rifabutin and colistin, the last-resort drug for carbapenem-resistant infections. Rifabutin and colistin were synergistic in vitro and in vivo, and low-dose colistin significantly suppressed emergence of resistance to rifabutin. Thus, this combination is a promising therapeutic option for highly resistant A. baumannii infections.