Methods for Typing klebsiella spp.

Complete Genome Sequence Klebsiella pneumoniae 342

Klebsiella pneumoniae Kp342 Genome

Genome Properties Report

Genes assigned a role category

Organism Gene List

PFGE method

Organism-------------------Klebsiella spp.

Recommended lysis enzyme--proteinase K

Restriction enzyme---------XbaI

Approximate no. of---------15–20
restriction Fragments

Fragments size------------10–700
range (kb)

General information

The genus Klebsiella, which belongs to the includes family Enterobacteriaceae five species,with the most clinically significant being K. pneumoniae.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a large, nonmotile, with a prominent polysaccharide gram-negative rod capsule.
The capsule is antiphagocytic and retards leukocyte migration into an infected area.

Another virulence factor of K. pneumoniae is its propensity to develop resistance to multiple antibiotics.All strains of K. pneumoniae are innately resistant to ampicillin, because of the production of β-lactamase.

Acquisition of resistance to other antibiotics usually occurs by transfer of plasmids from other organisms.Recently strains of nosocomially acquired K.pneumoniae have been isolated that produce an extended spectrum β-lactamase and therefore are resistant to all β-lactam antibiotics.

Klebsiella pneumoniae will grow rapidly producing large mucoid colonies on routine laboratory media.Colonies are often extremely mucoid and will tend to drip into the lid of the plate while incubating in an inverted position. Pink colonies will be evident on MacConkey agar indicating their fermentation of lactose.
Both K. oxytoca and especially K. rhinoscleromatis are slower growing than
K. pneumoniae and the other Enterobacteriaceae. All Klebsiella species are very closely related with nearly identical biochemical reactions, except for the fact that K. pneumoniae is indole negative, and K. oxytoca is indole positive.

Treatment of K. pneumoniae pneumonia would be based on the susceptibility of the isolate. Treatment can be complicated by the presence of multidrug-resistant strains.Most strains are susceptible to extended spectrum cephalosporins such as cefepime as well as fluoroquinolones such as moxifloxacin. In cases of strains that produce an extended spectrum β-lactamase, the treatment of choice would be imipenem or meropenem.

Prevention of spread in the hospital would involve appropriate infection control procedures to isolate patients with multidrug-resistant organisms. Klebsiella oxytoca has similar susceptibility patterns as K. pneumoniae and can also produce extended spectrum β-lactamases.

genus Klebsiella

This blood agar plate (BAP) grew colonies of Gram-negative, small rod-shaped and facultatively anaerobic Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria.

K. pneumoniae bacteria are commonly found in the human gastrointestinal tract, and are often the cause of hospital acquired, or nosocomial infections involving the urinary and pulmonary systems.

genus Klebsiella

The genus was originally divided into 3 main species based on biochemical reactions. Today,
7 species with demonstrated similarities in DNA homology are known.
These are:
(1) Klebsiella pneumoniae
(2) Klebsiella ozaenae
(3) Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis
(4) Klebsiella oxytoca
(5) Klebsiella planticola
(6) Klebsiella terrigena
(7) Klebsiella ornithinolytica

K.pneumoniae is the most medically important species of the group.
K.oxytoca and K.rhinoscleromatis have also been demonstrated in human clinical specimens. In recent years, klebsiellae have become important pathogens in nosocomial infections.

The most frequent bacterial cause of urinary tract infection (UTI) in adult women is Escherichia coli, which is part of the normal gut flora. This organism accounts for approximately 85% of community-acquired UTIs and 50% of hospital-acquired UTIs. Other common organisms include Klebsiella pneumoniae.

K. pneumoniae has been a recognized pulmonary pathogen since its discovery >100 years ago. The classic clinical presentation is dramatic: toxic presentation with sudden onset, high fever, and hemoptysis (currant jelly sputum). Chest radiographic abnormalities such as bulging interlobar fissure and cavitary abscesses are prominent. However, the incidence of community-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae has apparently declined in the United States. In studies from the 1920s to the 1960s, K. pneumoniae was considered an important cause of community-acquired pneumonia; however, in the last decade K. pneumoniae accounted for <1%>

A striking clinical finding concerning a new manifestation of community-acquired K. pneumoniae infections has been documented. An unusual invasive presentation of K. pneumoniae infection, primary bacteremic liver abscess, has been described by numerous investigators in Asia; >900 patients with Klebsiella liver abscess have been reported from Taiwan in the last 10 years. In addition, case reports and small series from Korea, Singapore, Japan, India, and Thailand have been published. The Taiwanese patients with K. pneumoniae liver abscess have no history of hepatobiliary disease. Seventy percent of such patients have diabetes mellitus; 11% to 12% of the reported patients with Klebsiella liver abscess have other septic metastatic lesions, including pulmonary emboli or abscess, brain abscess, pyogenic meningitis, endophthalmitis, prostatic abscess, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, or psoas abscess.