Klebsiella pneumoniae
Other Names: Klebsiella
- Klebsiella [kleb−see−ell−uh] is a type of Gram-negative bacteria that can cause different types of healthcare-associated infections, including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, wound or surgical site infections, and meningitis.
- Increasingly, Klebsiella bacteria have developed antimicrobial resistance, most recently to the class of antibiotics known as carbapenems.
Risk factors[edit | edit source]
- Klebsiella bacteria are normally found in the human intestines (where they do not cause disease).
- They are also found in human stool (feces).
- In healthcare settings, Klebsiella infections commonly occur among sick patients who are receiving treatment for other conditions.
- Patients whose care requires devices like ventilators (breathing machines) or intravenous (vein) catheters, and patients who are taking long courses of certain antibiotics are most at risk for Klebsiella infections.
- Healthy people usually do not get Klebsiella infections.
Transmission[edit | edit source]
- 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.
- In healthcare settings, Klebsiella bacteria can be spread through person-to-person contact (for example, from patient to patient via the contaminated hands of healthcare personnel, or other persons) or, less commonly, by contamination of the environment.
- The bacteria are not spread through the air.
Symptoms[edit | edit source]
Klebsiella can cause infection in different parts of the body including the lungs, urinary tract, or the bloodstream. The signs and symptoms of a Klebsiella infection will vary with the site of infection.
Diagnosis[edit | edit source]
- Klebsiella infections are usually diagnosed by examining a sample of the infected tissue such as sputum, urine, or blood.
- Depending on the site of infection, imaging tests such as ultrasounds, X-rays, and computerized tomography (CT) may also be useful. Susceptibility testing can help determine which antibiotics are likely to be effective.
Drug-resistant Klebsiella[edit | edit source]
- Some Klebsiella bacteria have become highly resistant to antibiotics.
- When bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae produce an enzyme known as a carbapenemase (referred to as KPC-producing organisms), then the class of antibiotics called carbapenems will not work to kill the bacteria and treat the infection.
- Klebsiella species are examples of Enterobacteriaceae, a normal part of the human gut bacteria, that can become carbapenem-resistant.
- CRE, which stands for carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae, are a family of germs that are difficult to treat because they have high levels of resistance to antibiotics.
- Unfortunately, carbapenem antibiotics often are the last line of defense against Gram-negative infections that are resistant to other antibiotics.
Treatment[edit | edit source]
- Klebsiella infections that are not drug-resistant can be treated with antibiotics.
- Infections caused by KPC-producing bacteria can be difficult to treat because fewer antibiotics are effective against them.
- In such cases, a microbiology laboratory must run tests to determine which antibiotics will treat the infection.
Prevention[edit | edit source]
- To prevent spreading Klebsiella infections between patients, healthcare personnel must follow specific infection control precautions.
- These precautions may include strict adherence to hand hygiene and wearing gowns and gloves when they enter rooms where patients with Klebsiella–related illnesses are housed.
- Healthcare facilities also must follow strict cleaning procedures to prevent the spread of Klebsiella.
- To prevent the spread of infections, patients also should clean their hands very often, including:
- Before preparing or eating food
- Before touching their eyes, nose, or mouth
- Before and after changing wound dressings or bandages
- After using the restroom
- After blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After touching hospital surfaces such as bed rails, bedside tables, doorknobs, remote controls, or the phone
External links[edit | edit source]
Klebsiella pneumoniae Resources | ||
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