Klebsiella pneumoniae describes a bacterium in the genus Klebsiella and the species pneumoniae. Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most common types of bacteria that doctors encounter in patient infections, notes the website PneumoniaSymptoms.org. Other genera of the species pneumoniae exist, including Streptococcus, Chlamydophila and Mycoplasma.
Characteristics
According to the textbook "Microbiology," Klebsiella pneumoniae is a facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria. Klebsiella is a member of the family Enterobacteriaceae, which is a commonly occurring family of bacteria that is common as part of the natural human flora and includes, among others, E. coli, Salmonella and Shigella.
Growth
As a facultative anaerobe, Klebsiella can grow either in the presence or absence of oxygen. While oxygen is a preferred energy source when available, in the absence of oxygen, the organism can revert to a sugar-fermenting metabolism to meet energy requirements. Klebsiella ferments the sugar lactose, and has an optimal growth temperature ranging from 97 to 99 degrees F. The ability for Klebsiella to grow at this temperature is no coincidence, as the normal human body temperature where the bacteria often resides is 98.6 degrees F.
Environment
A 2004 study by Carsten Struve and Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, of the Statens Serum Institut, which was published in the journal "Environmental Microbiology," noted that Klebsiella pneumoniae commonly occurs in humans, specifically associated with the respiratory system as well urinary tract infections. In addition to its association with the body, K. pneumoniae is also found in soil, water and plant samples.
Diseases
The most common disease associated with Klebsiella pnuemoniae is the respiratory infection pneumonia. As an opportunistic pathogen, K. pneumoniae is especially dangerous when picked up in a hospital setting, where patients often have compromised immune systems from other disease or infection. Urinary tract infections can also show up as a result of non-respiratory infection with K. pneumoniae. Common vectors for exposure to the organism include feces and non-sterile hospital tools.
Treatment
Antibiotics are a common first line of treatment for infection with any bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae. Depending on the severity of the infection, treatment will either occur at home or in a hospital setting, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Oral antibiotics and a cough expectorant are commonly used for treatment at home, while more serious infections can require intravenous antibiotics in the hospital. For chronic problems due to pneumonia, chest therapy can help loosen some of the mucus buildup in the lungs. Urinary tract infections are often treated with a course of oral antibiotics.
References
- Pneumonia Symptoms: Klebsiella Pneumonia
- "Microbiology: 6th Edition"; Lansing Prescott, John Harley and Donald Klein; 2005
- "Environmental Microbiology"; Pathogenic Potential of Environmental Klebsiella Pneumoniae Isolates; Carsten Struve and Karen Angeliki Krogfelt; June 2004
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Pneumonia Treatment
