Klebsiella
Overview
Klebsiella: A genus of aerobic, facultatively anaerobic, nonmotile, non-spore-forming bacteria (family Enterobacteriaceae) containing gram-negative, encapsulated rods that occur singly, in pairs, or in short chains. These organisms produce acetylmethylcarbinol and lysine decarboxylase or ornithine decarboxylase. They do not usually liquefy gelatin. Citrate and glucose are ordinarily used as sole carbon sources. These organisms may or may not be pathogenic. They occur in the respiratory, intestinal, and urogenital tracts of humans as well as in soil, water, and grain. The type species is Klebsiella pneumoniae. [E. Klebs] Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved. Klebsiella: genus of gram negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod shaped bacteria whose organisms arrange singly, in pairs, or short chains; this genus is commonly found in the intestinal tract and is an opportunistic pathogen that can give rise to bacteremia, pneumonia, urinary tract and several other types of human infection. Source: CRISP Klebsiella: A genus of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria whose organisms arrange singly, in pairs, or short chains. This genus is commonly found in the intestinal tract and is an opportunistic pathogen that can give rise to bacteremia, pneumonia, urinary tract and several other types of human infection. Source: MeSH 2007
Symptoms
Klebsiella can also cause less serious respiratory infections, such as bronchitis, which is usually a hospital-acquired infection. Other common hospital-acquired infections caused by Klebsiella are urinary tract infections, surgical wound infections and infection of the blood (known as bacteremia). All of these infections can progress to shock and death if not treated early in an aggressive fashion.
Treatment
Many hospital-acquired infections occur because of the invasive treatments that are often needed in hospitalized patients. For example, intravenous catheters used for fluid administration, catheters placed in the bladder for urine drainage and breathing tubes for people on a breathing machine can all increase the susceptibility to infection.