Gut microbiome: meet Klebsiella pneumoniae – an opportunistic pathogen that is harmless to some, but causes severe disease in others

K. pneumoniae - friend or foe? This common gut bacteria can cause serious infections, especially in vulnerable populations. Learn how the microbiome can influence K. pneumoniae's impact on health and the potential of using probiotics to prevent infections.

Scientists aren't entirely sure what proportion of the population carries K pneumonia.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common species of bacteria found in our bodies – and may even be lurking in your gut, mouth or nose right now. But it’s also a notoriously harmful bacteria that can make us very ill.

It’s the most common cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia in the US and the second most frequent cause of urinary tract infections worldwide, after Escherichia coli (E coli). If it infects wounds or enters the bloodstream, K pneumoniae can cause bloodstream infections and sepsis.

So how can K pneumoniae live harmlessly among the rest of the microbiome in some of us, yet cause disease in others? Understanding this may hold the key to preventing infections.

https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/gut-microbiome-klebsiella-pneumoniae-9241641/