Customer question:
What is Klebsiella pneumoniae? Anonymous customer's question
Pharmacist's answer:
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a bacterium belonging to the genus Klebsiella, family Enterobacteriaceae. It is a gram-negative bacterium, which means it has a double cell wall consisting of an inner layer (gram-positive) and an outer layer (gram-negative). Klebsiella pneumoniae is often present in the intestinal flora of humans, where it usually does not cause problems. However, some strains are pathogenic and can cause various infections.
Among the most common are:
- Respiratory infections: Klebsiella pneumoniae can cause respiratory infections, including pneumonia, bronchitis, and lung abscesses.
- Urinary tract infections: The bacteria can cause urinary tract infections, including bladder and kidney infections.
- Blood infections: in some cases, Klebsiella pneumoniae can enter the bloodstream and cause bacteremia (occlusion of bacteria in the blood), leading to septic shock.
- Wound and soft tissue infections: The bacteria can also cause wound and soft tissue infections, especially in people with weakened immune systems or other health problems.
- Antibiotic resistance: some strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae have become resistant to several different antibiotics, which presents a challenge in treating infections caused by these strains.
Antibiotic resistance can make Klebsiella pneumoniae infections challenging to treat, and your doctor may need to use specific antibiotics or a combination of drugs for effective treatment. Therefore, it is essential that doctors correctly identify the pathogen and choose the appropriate treatment based on the sensitivity of the bacteria to antibiotics.
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