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 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…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• SN
  Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung

  Awards: NRP79, 206400, 192514