Abstract: Acinetobacter baumannii, characterized by strong pathogenicity, survival capability and drug resistance, is a common opportunistic pathogen in both community- and hospital-acquired infections. This paper reviews the epidemiology and genotyping of A. baumannii, as well as virulence factors associated with its pathogenicity, drug resistance and survival capability, including capsular polysaccharides, endotoxins, outer membrane protein A, outer membrane vesicles and biofilms. It also summarizes the progress of research on the basic structure and function of four types of secretion systems, ion uptake and metabolic features (e.g., iron, zinc, calcium, copper) and other aspects. The findings provide new insights for reducing the pathogenicity, survival capability and drug resistance of A. baumannii, as well as for preventing and controlling its infection prevalence and lowering mortality rates.