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. 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. Patients in healthcare settings also may be exposed to Klebsiella when they are on ventilators breathing machines , or have intravenous vein catheters or wounds caused by injury or surgery.
Unfortunately, these medical tools and conditions may allow Klebsiella to enter the body and cause infection. To prevent spreading Klebsiella infections between patients, healthcare personnel must follow specific infection control precautions see: Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings 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:. Some Klebsiella bacteria have become highly resistant to antibiotics. Even those who survive often have residual impaired lung function, and recovery can take months.
This book is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4. Turn recording back on. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. StatPearls [Internet]. Search term. Klebsiella Pneumonia John V.
Author Information Authors John V. Affiliations 1 Kingman Regional Medical Center. Continuing Education Activity In , Carl Friedlander first described Klebsiella pneumoniae as an encapsulated bacillus after isolating the bacterium from the lungs of those who had died from pneumonia. Introduction In , Carl Friedlander described Klebsiella pneumoniae for the first time. Etiology Klebsiella pneumoniae belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family and is described as a gram-negative, encapsulate, and non-motile bacterium.
Epidemiology Humans serve as the primary reservoir for K. Pathophysiology Host protection from bacterial invasion mainly depends on two things: polymorphonuclear granulocytes, which phagocytose the bacteria, and serum complement proteins, which are bactericidal.
History and Physical The presentation of pneumonia caused by K. Host factors that predispose to colonization and infection are as follow: Admission to an intensive care ward. Differential Diagnosis The differential diagnosis for pneumonia caused by K.
Surgical Oncology Surgical debridement or drainage is sometimes required in patients with lung abscess, empyema, and lung gangrene. Prognosis The prognosis of Klebsiella pneumonia is poor, especially in patients who are alcoholic, diabetic, have nosocomial infection or septicemia.
Complications Pneumonia caused by K. Consultations Infectious disease consultant. Pearls and Other Issues Klebsiella pneumonia is a gram-negative bacteria that typically cause nosocomial infections and shows a great deal of antibiotic resistance. Radiograph findings should not be used to make a diagnosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection definitively. Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes Klebsiella pneumonia is a serious infection, and even with adequate treatment, the mortality rates remain high.
Review Questions Access free multiple choice questions on this topic. Comment on this article. References 1. Klebsiella pneumoniae infection of murine neutrophils impairs their efferocytic clearance by modulating cell death machinery. PLoS Pathog. Microb Drug Resist. Investigation of an outbreak caused by antibiotic-susceptible Klebsiella oxytoca in a neonatal intensive care unit in Norway. Acta Paediatr. Georgian Med News. Front Microbiol. Euro Surveill. Microbial etiology in hospitalized North Indian adults with community-acquired pneumonia.
Lung India. Eurasian J Med. Liu C, Guo J. Characteristics of ventilator-associated pneumonia due to hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae genotype in genetic background for the elderly in two tertiary hospitals in China. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. Intensive care unit-acquired infections in a tertiary care hospital: An epidemiologic survey and influence on patient outcomes.
Am J Infect Control. Profile of infective microorganisms causing ventilator-associated pneumonia: A clinical study from resource limited intensive care unit.
J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol. Infect Dis Ther. Pathogenic bacterial profile and drug resistance analysis of community-acquired pneumonia in older outpatients with fever. J Int Med Res. Indian J Crit Care Med. Klebsiella Pneumonia. The bacteria are not airborne, so you can't contract a K.
Instead, K. Long courses of antibiotics can also increase a person's risk of getting a klebsiella infection. Klebsiella infections are typically diagnosed with a lab test that examines a sample of the infected tissue, such as blood, urine, or sputum a mixture of saliva and mucus. The duration of treatment for klebsiella infection varies from a few weeks to several months, depending on the individual, location of infection, and how early the infection is caught.
Doctors typically use antibiotics to treat K. But the rise of antibiotic -resistant strains of the bacteria has complicated matters. Some "superbug" strains of K. These bacteria produce enzymes called Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases KPC , which render the antibiotics ineffective. The other is carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli E. But like klebsiella, when it gets into the respiratory tract, bloodstream, or urinary tract, it can cause dangerous and even deadly infections.
The CDC provides all the information you need about what causes klebsiella infections, how it is spread, treatment, and what you can do to prevent infection. GARD is another great resource to learn all the facts about Klebsiella pneumoniae infections. You can also access a database of clinical trials that are related to klebsiella and read the descriptions of each study.
Make sure to talk to your healthcare provider before choosing to participate in a clinical study. Additional reporting by Joseph Bennington-Castro. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Health Tools. Reviewed: November 18, Medically Reviewed. Most cases of K. The symptoms of a K. Bloodstream infections bacteremia and sepsis from klebsiella can cause fever, chills, fatigue, light-headedness, and altered mental states.
People who have weakened immune systems, or sick or injured people who are undergoing procedures for various health issues, are more likely to get a K. Infections can also occur through the use of contaminated medical equipment. For example, people on ventilators can contract Klebsiella pneumonia if breathing tubes are contaminated with the bacteria. Similarly, the use of contaminated intravenous catheters can lead to bloodstream infections.
0コメント