Hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae: A Hypervirulent Strain Masquerading as Metastasis.

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Ombada, Mulham Perwez, Talha Campitelli, Marco Zeineddine, Nabil
Editor	Muacevic, Alexander Adler, John R
Copyright Year	2023
Abstract	Hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae (HvKP) is a hypervirulent strain of Klebsiella that causes metastatic spread and life-threatening infection. While it is more common among people of Asian descent, it has been increasingly reported globally among people of other ethnicities as well. We report a case of pan-susceptible HvKP infection in a male patient of Asian descent who has been living in the US for 20 years. It caused a liver abscess, perigastric abscess, perisplenic abscess, multifocal pneumonia, septic emboli, and tricuspid valve infective endocarditis. He was treated with ceftriaxone, but his septic shock was refractory, ultimately leading to death. This case highlights the severity of infection caused by this strain, and its ability to present with radiographic signs suggestive of malignancy with metastasis. This case also suggests that this strain can become pathogenic after a very prolonged period of gastrointestinal colonization.
Journal	Cureus
Volume Number	15
DOI	10.7759/cureus.39561
PubMed Central reference number	PMC10292182
Issue Number	5
PubMed reference number	37378155
e-ISSN	21688184
Language	English
Publisher	Cureus
Publisher Date	2023-05-27
Publisher Place	Palo Alto (CA)
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	severe sepsis splenic abscess perigastric abscess hepatic abscess hypervirulent klebsiella pneumoniae
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Case study
Subject	Medicine