Klebsiella Pnemonia Diagnosis

• Gram stain and culture

• a battery of tests for biochemical properties is required to identify to the species level

Klebsiella Pnemonia Treatment

• prevention of hospital acquired infections is difficult; meticulous hand washing is the most effective way to reduce transmission

• no vaccines or hyperimmune sera are available

• drug-resistance is increasing in Gram-negative bacilli; they readily acquire multiple drug resistance through transmission of resistance plasmids (R-plasmids); emergence of coliforms with chromosomal or plasmid-encoded extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) activity is causing global problems with resistance to third generation cephalosporins; conjugative resistance plasmids allow the transfer of resistance genes among species and genera that normally do not exchange chromosomal DNA

• gentamicin, amikacin, tobramycin, ticarcillin/clavulate, imipenem, aztreonam, and a variety of third-generation cephalosporins may be effective for systemic infections; however, drug susceptibility tests are essential

• Sanford recommends: parenteral 3rd generation cephalosporin, fluoroquinolones; alternatives include anti-pseudomonal aminoglycosides, ticarcillin/clavulanate (Timentin), ampicillin/sulbactam (Unasyn), piperacillin/tazobactam (Zosyn)