Klebsiella pneumoniae is a bacterium that can cause a number of serious infections in a hospital or community. According to the journal "Chest," older men with debilitating diseases are at a higher risk for infection with this organism than the general population. Mechanical ventilation is an important risk factor, according to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine." Symptoms due to K. pneumoniae are related to the specific organ affected.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia due to Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most devastating infections, especially in alcoholics, diabetics and people with chronic lung disease, according to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine." The classic clinical presentation includes a toxic patient with sudden onset, high fever and coughing up bloody sputum, or hemoptysis. The sputum produced is often thick and blood tinged and has been referred to as rust-colored or "currant jelly," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other symptoms include confusion, night sweats, chills, and chest pain that gets worse when breathing or coughing.
Urinary Tract Infections
According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," K. pneumoniae causes urinary tract infections, or UTIs, in approximately 1 to 2 percent of healthy adult patients. However, K. pneumoniae more frequently causes complicated UTIs, including those related to bladder catheters in 5 to 17 percent of adults. Symptoms of a UTI include pain on urination, fever, chills and flank pain.
Wound Infections
K. pneumoniae can cause wound infections, including post-surgical infections. Symptoms include redness at the wound site, pain, heat and a pus-filled discharge from the site of infection.
Bacteremia
Pneumonia, UTIs and a variety of intraabdominal infections due to K. pneumoniae can result in bacteremia, or infection in the bloodstream, which is a medical emergency.
A study in the journal "Chest" showed that alcoholic patients who had K. pneumoniae pneumonia with bacteremia had a rapidly fatal outcome, even with adequate antibiotic therapy and intensive management.
Intraabdominal infections due to K. pneumoniae include peritonitis and infections in the bile ducts, or ascending cholangitis. Symptoms of the latter condition include delirium, fever and chills.
References
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine;" Dennis Kasper, M.D.; 2005
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Community-Acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae Bacteremia
- "Chest"; Rapidly Fatal Klebsiella Pneumoniae Pneumonia in Alcoholics; Gou-Mou Jong, et al.; January 1995
