Open AccessThe making of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae
Author(s) -
Dai Piaopiao,
Hu Dakang
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of clinical laboratory analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1098-2825
pISSN - 0887-8013
DOI - 10.1002/jcla.24743
Subject(s) - klebsiella pneumoniae , microbiology and biotechnology , klebsiella infections , biology , escherichia coli , genetics , gene
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a notorious bacterium in clinical practice. Virulence, carbapenem‐resistance and their convergence among K. pneumoniae are extensively discussed in this article. Hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (HvKP) has spread from the Asian Pacific Rim to the world, inducing various invasive infections, such as pyogenic liver abscess, endophthalmitis, and meningitis. Furthermore, HvKP has acquired more and more drug resistance. Among multidrug‐resistant HvKP, hypervirulent carbapenem‐resistant K. pneumoniae (Hv‐CRKP), and carbapenem‐resistant hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (CR‐HvKP) are both devastating for their extreme drug resistance and virulence. The hypervirulence of HvKP is primarily attributed to hypercapsule, macromolecular exopolysaccharides, or excessive siderophores, although it has many other factors, for example, lipopolysaccharides, fimbriae, and porins. In contrast with classical determination of HvKP, that is, animal lethality test, molecular determination could be an optional and practical method after improvement. HvKP, including Hv‐CRKP and CR‐HvKP, has been progressing. R‐M and CRISPR‐Cas systems may play pivotal roles in such evolutions. Hv‐CRKP and CR‐HvKP, in particular the former, should be of severe concern due to their being more and more prevalent.