Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of a family of gram-negative bacteria that inhabit the intestines of around 40 percent of people, the International Specialty Supply states. Klebsiella pneumoniae often affects people with poor immune systems from community-acquired disease, such as diabetics and alcoholics. Klebsiella is increasingly seen as an opportunistic infection in people hospitalized for other reasons, spread by lack of hand washing among hospital personnel. Klebsiella often affects the lungs, but can also infect the urinary tract and liver, and can cause wound and bloodstream infections.
Systemic Symptoms
Klebsiella pneumoniae in the lung, bloodstream, liver or wounds usually manifests systemically with sudden onset of high fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, prostration, weakness and lethargy.
Respiratory Symptoms
People whose lungs are infected with klebsiella have shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, breathe rapidly and produce thick, bloody sputum, sometimes called "currant jelly" sputum. Many people require mechanical ventilation via a respirator that supplies oxygen directly to the lungs, respiratory therapist Bill Wojciechowski, MS, RRT reports in the May-June 2006 "Journal for Respiratory Care and Sleep Medicine." Community-acquired klebsiella pneumoniae has a mortality rate of 50 percent even with treatment, he further explains, and often permanently damages lungs in those who recover, causing them to scar and shrink . Untreated klebsiella pneumoniae causes death in 90 percent of cases, International Specialty Supply states.
Urinary Tract Symptoms
Klebsiella pneumoniae causes around 6 to 15 percent of all urinary tract infections acquired in or out of the hospital. Indwelling urinary catheters cause 40 percent of all hospital acquired infections, according to A.T. Still University. Symptoms of a urinary tract infection include frequent urination and pain during urination, fever, back and flank pain; nausea and vomiting can occur if the infection ascends to the kidney. Sepsis, bacteria in the bloodstream, shock and death can follow pyelonephritis.
Liver Symptoms
Klebsiella pneumoniae is the leading cause of pyogenic liver abscess, pockets of infected material in the liver, lead author Francesco Casella reports in "Cases Journal" 2009. Only 50 percent of those infected have liver-related symptoms such as upper abdominal pain, jaundice and enlarged spleen, in addition to typical systemic symptoms. Patient who have diabetes are more likely to develop the infection.
