Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp): Overview, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Detection
Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a Gram-negative pathogen responsible for both hospital- and community-acquired infections. Kp is classified into 2 distinct pathotypes: classical K. pneumoniae (cKp) and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp). First described in Taiwan in 1986, hvKp are highly pathogenic a...
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Case Western Reserve University
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Pathogens and Immunity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.paijournal.com/index.php/paijournal/article/view/777 |
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| author | Dania Al Ismail Edgar I. Campos-Madueno Valentina Donà Andrea Endimiani |
| author_facet | Dania Al Ismail Edgar I. Campos-Madueno Valentina Donà Andrea Endimiani |
| author_sort | Dania Al Ismail |
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Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a Gram-negative pathogen responsible for both hospital- and community-acquired infections. Kp is classified into 2 distinct pathotypes: classical K. pneumoniae (cKp) and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp). First described in Taiwan in 1986, hvKp are highly pathogenic and characterized by unique phenotypic and genotypic traits. The hypermucoviscous (hmv) phenotype, generally marked by overproduction of the capsule, is often associated with hvKp, although recent studies show that some cKp strains may also have this characteristic. Furthermore, hvKp can cause severe community-acquired infections in healthy people and have been associated with metastatic infections such as liver abscess, meningitis, and endophthalmitis. HvKp are increasingly being reported in hospital-acquired settings, complicating treatment strategies. In particular, while hvKp have historically been antibiotic-susceptible, multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains have emerged and pose a significant public health threat. The combination of high virulence and limited antibiotic options demands further research into virulence mechanisms and rapid identification methods.
This review discusses the epidemiology of hvKp and their virulence factors, highlighting the importance of phenotypic and non-phenotypic tests, including next-generation molecular diagnostics, for the early detection of hvKp.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0a1cb5bad36b43a9bd40730d36182dac |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2469-2964 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Case Western Reserve University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens and Immunity |
| spelling | doaj-art-0a1cb5bad36b43a9bd40730d36182dac2025-01-24T20:28:11ZengCase Western Reserve UniversityPathogens and Immunity2469-29642025-01-0110110.20411/pai.v10i1.777Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp): Overview, Epidemiology, and Laboratory DetectionDania Al Ismail0Edgar I. Campos-Madueno1Valentina Donà2Andrea Endimiani3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3186-5421Institute for Infectious Diseases (IFIK), University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandInstitute for Infectious Diseases (IFIK), University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandIndependent Researcher and Scientific Writer, Bolzano, ItalyInstitute for Infectious Diseases (IFIK), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a Gram-negative pathogen responsible for both hospital- and community-acquired infections. Kp is classified into 2 distinct pathotypes: classical K. pneumoniae (cKp) and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp). First described in Taiwan in 1986, hvKp are highly pathogenic and characterized by unique phenotypic and genotypic traits. The hypermucoviscous (hmv) phenotype, generally marked by overproduction of the capsule, is often associated with hvKp, although recent studies show that some cKp strains may also have this characteristic. Furthermore, hvKp can cause severe community-acquired infections in healthy people and have been associated with metastatic infections such as liver abscess, meningitis, and endophthalmitis. HvKp are increasingly being reported in hospital-acquired settings, complicating treatment strategies. In particular, while hvKp have historically been antibiotic-susceptible, multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains have emerged and pose a significant public health threat. The combination of high virulence and limited antibiotic options demands further research into virulence mechanisms and rapid identification methods. This review discusses the epidemiology of hvKp and their virulence factors, highlighting the importance of phenotypic and non-phenotypic tests, including next-generation molecular diagnostics, for the early detection of hvKp. https://www.paijournal.com/index.php/paijournal/article/view/777Klebsiella pneumoniaevirulencehvKpepidemiologydetectionESBL |
| spellingShingle | Dania Al Ismail Edgar I. Campos-Madueno Valentina Donà Andrea Endimiani Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp): Overview, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Detection Pathogens and Immunity Klebsiella pneumoniae virulence hvKp epidemiology detection ESBL |
| title | Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp): Overview, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Detection |
| title_full | Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp): Overview, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Detection |
| title_fullStr | Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp): Overview, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Detection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp): Overview, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Detection |
| title_short | Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp): Overview, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Detection |
| title_sort | hypervirulent klebsiella pneumoniae hvkp overview epidemiology and laboratory detection |
| topic | Klebsiella pneumoniae virulence hvKp epidemiology detection ESBL |
| url | https://www.paijournal.com/index.php/paijournal/article/view/777 |
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