| Description: |
Bacteria of the genus Klebsiella are widely distributed in nature, in the soil and in water. They are also part of the normal flora of the intestinal tract, but usually in low numbers compared with E. coli. Klebsiella, especially strains of the species K. pneumonia, are opportunistic pathogens that can cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and bacteremia. In recent years there has been an increase in Klebsiella infections, especially in hospitals and due to multiple-antibiotic resistant strains. The most striking difference between most strains of Klebsiella and its close relatives E. coli and Salmonella is that Klebsiella cells have a thick coat of slime or extracellular polysaccharide which is called a "capsule". The capsule protects the cells from dessication, and may also protect them from phagocytosis when they are in an animal host. Surprisingly, many strains of Klebsiella can fix nitrogen, i.e., they can reduce atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia and amino acids.
Klebsiella pneumoniae MGH 78578 (also known as ATCC 700721/SGSC4697) was isolated from the sputum of a 66-year-old ICU patient in 1994. Klebsiella was considered to have a role in his pneumonia. The strain is resistant to many antibiotics, including ampicillin, ticarcillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and gentamicin, but is susceptible to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem (adapted from http://genome.wustl.edu/genome.cgi?GENOME=Klebsiella%20pneumoniae). |
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