Klebsiella pneumoniae, or pneumoniae, is a bacterium that is primarily responsible for life-threatening pneumonia. In addition, it can contribute to inflammation of the urinary and digestive systems, as well as the meninges (especially in infants). In extreme cases, it can even lead to sepsis. How can you get infected with pneumonia and how to protect yourself against it? What are the symptoms and treatments for infection with this bacterium?

Klebsiella-pneumoniae , orpneumoniae , is a bacterium that lives in natural conditions mainly in the digestive tract and also in the nasopharynx and skin. Infections caused by the bacillus pneumonia can be divided into nosocomial and non-hospital infections.

Community-acquired infections occur most frequently in people with a weakened immune system, burdened with chronic diseases such as diabetes, alcoholism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the elderly.

As it easily multiplies in wards and acquires resistance to a number of antibiotics, it can also contribute to nosocomial infections. Pneumonia is detected about 20 percent. hospital patients who are not receiving antibiotics. These infections most often affect patients in cardiac surgery departments.

Klebsiella-pneumoniae (pneumoniae) - what diseases does it cause?

Pneumonia rod, as the name suggests, is most often responsible for the inflammation of this respiratory organ, especially in patients undergoing respiratory support. In some cases, it causes necrotic areas in the lungs (purulent pockets) and even lung abscesses. Klebsiella-pneumoniae can also cause less serious respiratory diseases, such as bronchitis, which is usually a hospital acquired infection.

Pneumonia can also contribute to extrapulmonary infections, e.g. infections of the surgical site, digestive system, nervous system in infants (meningitis), urinary tract infections in children and adults (especially in patients with drainage of the urinary tract), biliary tract and inflammation of the sinuses or middle ear. It may also be responsible for tissue inflammationsoft and osteomyelitis, and even endotoxic shock or sepsis.

Important

Klebsiella-pneumoniae is especially dangerous for newborns, especially premature babies. Mortality among premature babies with the lowest birth weight is as high as 30%.

Klebsiella-pneumoniae (pneumoniae) - how do you get infected?

  • by airborne droplets - when a sick person talks, coughs or sneezes and at the same time expels saliva droplets containing bacteria that spread to other people;
  • by ingestion, e.g. by eating contaminated food, eating food with dirty hands, etc.;

It is worth knowing that this bacterium can survive on surfaces, especially wet and water surfaces, e.g. in sinks, on residues in dishes, damp cloths, on soap, around sinks, various containers, humidifiers and even drains.

Klebsiella-pneumoniae (pneumoniae) - symptoms

Infection with pneumonia causes flu-like symptoms, such as high fever and chills. Additionally, there is a cough accompanied by the production of large amounts of mucus. Coughing up secretions are often thick and stained with blood.

Klebsiella-pneumoniae (pneumoniae) - treatment

In the treatment of infections caused by the bacillus pneumonia, colistin is used. It is worth knowing that Klebsiella pneumoniae is resistant to most antibiotics. For this reason, it is also calleda nightmare bacterium.In January 2022 in the USA, klebsiella became the cause of death of a woman from Reno, Nevada. The infection caused by the bacterium could not be cured with any commercially available antibiotics. The patient got a total of 26 of them. Some strains of this bacteria are able to produce the so-called. KPC carbapenemases, i.e. enzymes that break down all the so-called beta-lactam antibiotics.

Category:

Infectious diseases