Klebsiella pneumoniae
Klebsiella pneumoniae (secondary electron micrograph )
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a facultative anaerobic, Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium of the genus Klebsiella. In humans, the species belongs to the normal inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract and oral flora. Normally, the bacterium is harmless in people with weakened immune systems or with acute infection but it can also occur as pathogens.
System
The German microbiologist Carl Friedländer described these bacteria for the first time in 1883 as the cause of a rare form of pneumonia ( Friedlander pneumonia ). He called at that time diplococcus. Shortly afterwards, the " Friedlander bacteria" crouposae as Bacterium pneumoniae (braid 1885), Hyalococcus pneumoniae ( Schroeter 1886) and Bacillus pneumoniae ( Schroeter (1886 ) Flügge 1886) have been described.
Later the species was split into subspecies.
- Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. ozaenae (Abel 1893) Ørskov 1984
- Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae ( Schroeter 1886) Ørskov 1984
- Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. rhinoscleromatis ( Trevisan 1887) Ørskov 1984
Clinical Significance
For by Klebsiella pneumoniae ( Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. Pneumoniae) -mediated diseases are often related to infections of the urinary tract or respiratory tract. The bacterium is known to cause nosocomial pneumonia in immuno -patients.
Carbapenemresistente Klebsiella pneumoniae strains
For the first time in 2001 was to a certain Klebsiella pneumoniae strain the formation of a carbapenemase ( carbapenem - hydrolyzing beta- lactamase ), the so-called CCP observed. The CCP confers resistance of Klebsiella to certain antibiotics, the carbapenems. These include about the drugs imipenem and meropenem. The activity of the carbapenemase is suppressed in the presence of clavulanic acid. The investigated carbapenemresistente Klebsiella pneumoniae strain ( carbapenem -resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, CRKP ) " 1534 " still showed resistance to all cephalosporins and aztreonam and is thus largely insensitive to many modern antibiotics. There are different variants of Klebsiella - known carbapenemases such as KPC- 1, KPC- 2 and KPC - third
Klebsiella pneumoniae and autoimmune diseases
There are studies that suggest that formed by natural immune responses and anti- Klebsiella pneumoniae IgA antibodies cross-react with structures of the human cell surface protein HLA -B27. HLA -B27 regulates important functions of the human immune system. Klebsiella pneumoniae is suspected, this mechanism also autoimmune reactions such as Ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease ) trigger.