Multilocus Sequence Types and Virulence Determinants of Hypermucoviscosity-Positive Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated from Community-Acquired Infection Cases in Harbin, North China

Jpn J Infect Dis. 2016 Sep 21;69(5):357-60. doi: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2015.321. Epub 2016 Jan 8.

Abstract

We investigated the molecular epidemiologic characteristics and virulence of hypermucoviscosity-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae in mainland China. We detected 16 hypermucoviscosity-positive strains in 65 total clinical isolates (24.62%). We found that 68.75% (11/16) of the positive strains had K2 genotype and carried the rmpA and iucA genes. Multilocus sequence typing revealed 5 sequence types (STs): ST65 [7], ST23 [4], ST86 [3], ST412 [1], ST375 [1], whereas the remaining 4 isolates were defined as other STs. The order of the median lethal dose values for the ST types was ST23 (2.19 × 10(3) CFU/mouse) < ST86 (1.70 × 10(4) CFU/mouse) < ST65 (5.05 × 10(7) CFU/mouse) < the other STs (1.90 × 10(8) CFU/mouse). In conclusion, the K2 with ST65 carrying rmpA and iucA was the most predominant among the hypermucoviscosity-positive K. pneumoniae strains obtained from community-acquired infection cases in Harbin, North China. Sequence types are a valuable tool to predict the risk of K. pneumoniae infection.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • China / epidemiology
  • Community-Acquired Infections / epidemiology
  • Community-Acquired Infections / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Humans
  • Klebsiella Infections / epidemiology
  • Klebsiella Infections / microbiology*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / classification*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / genetics
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / isolation & purification
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Multilocus Sequence Typing*
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / metabolism*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Virulence
  • Virulence Factors / analysis*
  • Virulence Factors / genetics

Substances

  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial
  • Virulence Factors