Klebsiella pneumoniae(′kleb·zē′el·ə nə′mō·nē′ī)

By Emily Thielke

Characteristics

Gram-negative (gram stains pink/red)

Pink in color Rod shaped Non-motile bacteria Lactose Fermenting Enterobacteriaceae Family

This means that this bacteria is mostly found in the intestines of animals and humans.

Encapsulated Bacterium (presence of a polysaccharide layer outside the cell-wall)

…characteristics con…

Facultative Anaerobic meaning that it has a characteristic feature of becoming both aerobic (survive in presence

of oxygen) and anaerobic (survive in absence of oxygen) depending upon the situation.

It is found naturally in the soil, water and vegetables.

In humans, it can be found in the skin, pharynx and gastrointestinal tract.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most commonly occurring gram-

negative bacteria studied worldwide.

Infections

Mostly causes pneumonia in humans

However it can also cause UTIs and abdominal infections

In Fact it is the second pathogen, next to E. coli, that causes UTIs

...infections con…

Infections are either hospital-acquired or community-acquired.

More commonly known as hospital-acquired pneumonia

Affects persons with low immune system, diabetes patients and people with chronic lung disease. Alcoholics can also suffer from K. pneumoniae infections

Symptoms

Klebsiella pneumonia causes rapid destruction of tissue within the lungs, and as a result, the symptoms appear quickly.

sudden high fever dizziness and chills coughing up of a distinctive sputum from the lungs

thick and tinged with blood viscous and abundant

…symptoms con…

If not treated right away: can quickly form abscesses bacteria, from the abscesses, is

also able to punch holes in the lining of the lungs

large pneumonia consolidation in the right lower lobe

…symptoms con…

People with Klebsiella pneumonia can also suffer from collapsed lungs

Klebsiella pneumonia can also spread to the upper respiratory tract. It can cause a foul-smelling discharge to be emitted from the nose.

Diagnosive Tests

The diagnosis of the infection is done in two ways

Gram stain and culture

Conducting a battery of tests to determine biochemical properties is required to identify the species

Gram stain of K. pneumoniae

...test con…

Diagnosis of klebsiella pneumonia can also be done by the basis of patient’s symptoms, physical examination with further investigations like chest X-ray, blood test and sputum cultures.

Treatment

Tx for K. pneumonia is usually done by using antibiotics such as aminoglycosides and bactericidals such as cephalosporins.

However, Tx depends upon the patient’s health condition, medical history and severity of the infectious disease

Some History of K. pneumoniae

The Danish scientist Hans Christian Gram (1853-1938), developed the technique now known as Gram staining in 1884 to discriminate between K. pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The organisms are named after Edwin Klebs, a 19th century German microbiologist

References

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/klebsiella-pneumoniae.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klebsiella_pneumoniae

http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Klebsiella