Mba Ifeanyi Elibe, Mba Toluwalase Odunayo, Uwazie Chibuzor Kenneth, Aina Fetuata Aminat, Kemisola Akindele Oluwaseun, Uwazie Ijeoma Josephine
Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 200005, Nigeria.
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu, 410001, Nigeria.
Folia Microbiol (Praha). 2025 Apr 8. doi: 10.1007/s12223-025-01261-9.
Klebsiella pneumoniae, a Gram-negative bacterium, comprises strains with diverse virulence potentials, ranging from classical to hypervirulent variants. Understanding the genetic basis underlying the virulence disparities between hypervirulent (hvKp) and classical K. pneumoniae (cKp) strains is crucial. hvKp strains are characterized by hypermucoviscosity, attributed to the presence of specific virulence genes and the production of molecules that aid in their ability to survive, evade host immune defenses, and cause infection. In contrast, classical strains exhibit a broader array of antimicrobial resistance determinants, conferring resistance to multiple antibiotics. Although current definitions of hvKp incorporate clinical features, phenotypes, and genotypes, identifying hvKp strains in clinical settings remains challenging. Genomic studies have been pivotal and have helped to identify distinct genetic profiles in hvKp strains, including unique virulence plasmids and chromosomal variations, underscoring the genetic diversity within K. pneumoniae populations. This review examines the virulence and genetic determinants associated with hvKp. The presence of genes defining hypervirulence, alongside considerations of their utility as biomarkers and targets for therapeutic strategies, is discussed, while also providing insight into biofilm formation by hvKp and key questions that need urgent responses in understanding hvKp.
肺炎克雷伯菌是一种革兰氏阴性菌，包含具有不同毒力潜能的菌株，从经典菌株到高毒力变体。了解高毒力肺炎克雷伯菌（hvKp）和经典肺炎克雷伯菌（cKp）菌株之间毒力差异的遗传基础至关重要。hvKp菌株的特征是具有高黏液黏稠度，这归因于特定毒力基因的存在以及有助于其生存、逃避宿主免疫防御和引起感染能力的分子的产生。相比之下，经典菌株表现出更广泛的抗菌耐药决定因素，使其对多种抗生素具有抗性。尽管目前对hvKp的定义纳入了临床特征、表型和基因型，但在临床环境中识别hvKp菌株仍然具有挑战性。基因组研究发挥了关键作用，并有助于识别hvKp菌株中独特的基因特征，包括独特的毒力质粒和染色体变异，凸显了肺炎克雷伯菌群体内的遗传多样性。本综述探讨了与hvKp相关的毒力和遗传决定因素。讨论了定义高毒力的基因的存在，以及它们作为生物标志物和治疗策略靶点的效用，同时还深入探讨了hvKp形成生物膜的情况以及在理解hvKp方面需要紧急回应的关键问题。
