The most clinically important species of this genus
is Klebsiella pneumoniae. This large, non-motile bacterium produces large sticky
colonies when plated on nutrient media. Klebsiella's pathogenicity can be attributed to
its production of a heat-stable enterotoxin. K. pneumoniae infections are common
in hospitals where they cause pneumonia (characterized by emission of bloody sputum) and
urinary tract infections in catheterized patients. In fact, K. pneumoniae is
second only to E. coli as a urinary tract pathogen. Klebsiella infections are encountered
far more often now than in the past. This is probably due to the bacterium's antibiotic
resistance properties. Klebsiella species may contain resistance plasmids (R-plasmids)
which confer resistance to such antibiotics as ampicillin and carbenicillin. To make
matters worse, the R-plasmids can be transferred to other enteric bacteria not necessarily
of the same species.
Klebsiella pneumonia tends to affect people with underlying
diseases, such as alcoholism, diabetes and chronic lung disease. Classically, Klebsiella
pneumonia causes a severe, rapid-onset illness that often causes areas of destruction in
the lung.
Infected persons generally get high fever, chills, flu-like symptoms
and a cough productive of a lot of mucous. The mucous (or sputum) that is coughed up is
often thick and blood tinged and has been referred to as "currant jelly" sputum
due to its appearance.
Mortality in Klebsiella pneumonia is fairly high due to the
underlying disease that tends to be present in affected persons. While normal pneumonia
frequently resolves without complication, Klebsiella pneumonia more frequently
causes lung destruction and pockets of pus in the lung (known as abscesses).
Phage Therapy for Treating Klebsiella Infections
Phage Therapy
Center
Phage Therapy Center treats antibiotic-resistant infections. [More information...]
Additional Information About Phage Therapy for this Condition
Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol. 1991
The efficacy of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteriophage in the therapy
of experimental Klebsiella infection
Eliava Institute
List of Bacteriophages
Hirzfield Institute of Immunology and Virology
Efficacy of Phage Therapy - Clinical Trials
Evergreen State College
Polish
Update
Antimicrobal Agents and Chemotherapy
Bacteriophage
Therapy
Mediscover
What Are
Bacteriophages?
Polish Academy of Sciences Institute of Immunology and
Experimental Therapy
THERAPY
OF INFECTIONS IN CANCER PATIENTS WITH BACTERIOPHAGES
Polish Academy of Sciences Institute of Immunology and
Experimental Therapy
Bacteriophage
therapy of bacterial infections: an update of our Institute`s experience
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2003
Experimental Protection of Mice against Lethal Staphylococcus
aureus Infection by Novel Bacteriophage  MR11
A series of rigorous studies into phage therapy by Smith et
al. in the 1980s made a significant contribution that led to
reevaluation of phage efficacy against infections of E. coli,
Acinetobacter baumanii , Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella
species, Lactococcus garvieae, and Enterococcus faecium in
animal models or in natural animal targets of these virulent
microbes. These, together with the present study, support the potential
of phage therapy against various bacterial infectious diseases; in
fact, successful treatment for humans has been reportedly achieved
in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Medical Information
PersonalMD
Klebsiella:
One Potentially Nasty Bacteria
CDC, Emerging Infectious Diseases
Enteropathogenic
Klebsiella pneumoniae HIV-Infected Adults, Africa
CDC, Emerging Infectious Diseases
Community-Acquired
Klebsiella pneumoniae Bacteremia: Global Differences in Clinical Patterns
South Med Journal
Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infection complicated by
endophthalmitis, perinephric abscess, and ecthyma gangrenosum.
UTMB Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Escherichia,
Klebsiella, Enterobacter,Serratia, Citrobacter, and Proteus |
