MedCompanion

Klebsiella pneumoniae

K. pneumo

Morphology: Lactose-fermenting gram-negative rod, encapsulated, mucoid colonies.

PEKHNPEKGramNegOther

Typical drugs

  1. #1Ceftriaxone— Pyelonephritis, pneumonia.
  2. #2Meropenem— ESBL or CRE risk.

Empiric therapy when resistant

ESBL: carbapenem. CRE: ceftazidime-avibactam, meropenem-vaborbactam — call ID.

Resistance mechanisms

  • Enzymatic degradation

    ESBL, AmpC, KPC carbapenemases

    Example: CRE Klebsiella — ceftazidime-avibactam, meropenem-vaborbactam.

Resistance notes

Hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKP) causes liver abscess + metastatic infection.

Common syndromes

Pearls

Aspiration pneumonia in alcoholics — currant-jelly sputum. Liver abscess — hvKP serotypes K1, K2.