Klebsiella pneumoniae
Klebsiella pneumoniae is commonly found in the environment (water and soil) and in the human digestive tract, where it does not usually cause disease. However, K. pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen (it can cause disease in individuals with a weakened immune system or pre-existing infection or medical condition). It is commonly acquired from healthcare environments such as hospitals.
Mechanism of transmission: Klebsiella pneumoniae is spread from person to person by direct contact (eg. contaminated hands), and may also be acquired from contaminated medical equipment and surfaces. Infections can also occur when K. pneumoniae spreads from the patient’s own gut to other parts of the body.
Number of cases: 7 out of every 100,000 people in the United States are estimated to be infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae each year1
Klebsiella pneumoniae infections
Klebsiella can cause a wide range of infections, including pneumonia (infection of the lungs), bacteraemia and septicaemia (bloodstream infections), wound infections, and meningitis (infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord). K. pneumoniae infections can have high mortality rates depending on the site of infection: for pneumonia infections, mortality can be as high as 50%2.
Klebsiella pneumoniae infections are rare in people who are otherwise healthy, however certain vulnerable populations are more susceptible and have a much higher risk of disease. These include people with weakened immune systems, those undergoing medical procedures, and those with certain pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes or cancer3. The majority of infections are contracted in a hospital or other healthcare setting, and Klebsiella is responsible for around 8% of all hospital-acquired infections4.
Carbapenem resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae
Rates of antimicrobial resistance (the ability of disease-causing bacteria to survive exposure to antibiotic treatments) are increasing in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Some ‘superbug’ K. pneumoniae strains are now resistant to most antibiotics, including last-resort treatments such as carbapenems. These strains produce proteins known as Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPCs), which destroy carbapenem antibiotics and so allow the bacteria to survive.
KPC-producing strains belong to the carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) family, a group of several high-threat-level bacterial species which have developed resistance to most antibiotics, including last-resort drugs. These infections are very difficult to treat and so are of great concern for clinicians, scientists, and public health policy makers.
Genomics and Klebsiella pneumoniae
The World Health Organisation considers CRE bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, as a critical priority for development of new antibiotics5. Genomic data can be used to study the evolution, diversity, and transmission of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in Klebsiella, and so inform research into new treatment strategies and new antibiotics. Such research is crucial to ensure we are still able to successfully treat K. penumoniae infections in the face of rising antimicrobial resistance.
If you are keen to find out more about Klebsiella pneumoniae, these websites are good places to go for more information:
