What are the pathogenic mechanisms of Klebsiella?
The principal pathogenic reservoirs for transmission of Klebsiella are the gastrointestinal tract and the hands of hospital personnel. Because of their ability to spread rapidly in the hospital environment, these bacteria tend to cause nosocomial outbreaks.
How does Klebsiella cause disease?
To get a Klebsiella infection, a person must be exposed to the bacteria. For example, Klebsiella must enter the respiratory (breathing) tract to cause pneumoniae, or the blood to cause a bloodstream infection.
What is the pathogenesis of Klebsiella pneumoniae?
Infection of K. pneumoniae occur in the lungs, where they cause necrosis, inflammation, and hemorrhage within the lung tissue. This is caused by aspirating oropharyngeal microorganisms into the lower respiratory tract.
How does Klebsiella pneumoniae attack?
Klebsiella pneumonia is an encapsulated organism that can evade the body’s normal protective mechanisms. In addition to attacking organs such as the lungs and bladder, it also triggers an inflammatory response that increases symptoms such as fever and chills.
What are some common diseases caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae?
Klebsiella pneumoniae is second to Escherichia coli the most common gram-negative pathogen associated with a wide spectrum of infections, such as urinary tract infection (UTI), pneumonia, intra-abdominal infection, bloodstream infection (BSI), meningitis and pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) [1–4].
What does Klebsiella oxytoca cause?
Klebsiella are opportunistic pathogens that cause severe diseases in hospital setting. This organism causes pneumonia, urinary tract infection, soft tissue infection and septicaemia, which often leads to septic shock.
Is Klebsiella cocci or bacilli?
Klebsiella is a genus of Gram-negative, oxidase-negative, rod-shaped bacteria with a prominent polysaccharide-based capsule. Klebsiella species are found everywhere in nature.
How is Klebsiella infection spread?
Klebsiella bacteria are mostly spread through person-to-person contact. Less commonly, they are spread by contamination in the environment. As with other healthcare-associated infections, the bacteria can be spread in a health care setting via the contaminated hands of health care workers. The bacteria are not spread through the air.
What is the history of Klebsiella pneumoniae?
Klebsiella pneumoniae. Klebsiella pneumoniae was first described by a German microbiologist and pathologist Carl Friedländer in 1882. K. pneumoniae is found in the normal flora of skin, mouth and intestines, where it does not cause disease.
What is Klebsiella?
Summary Summary Listen Klebsiellais a type of bacteriacommonly found in nature. In humans, the bacteria are often present in parts of the digestive tract where they do not generally cause problems.
What is the virulence factor of Klebsiella pneumoniae?
The most important virulence factor contributing the pathogenesis of K. pneumoniae is their ability to form a thick layer of biofilm, which consists of a large number of bacteria embedded in an extracellular matrix. Majority of the K. pneumoniae strains are biofilm-producing.