HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by PODSCHUN, R. Articles by ULLMAN, U. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by PODSCHUN, R. Articles by ULLMAN, U. Agricola Articles by PODSCHUN, R. Articles by ULLMAN, U.

Expression of putative virulence factors by clinical isolates of Klebsiella planticola

Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology, University of Kiel, Brunswiker Str. 4, 24105 Kiel, Germany

Corresponding author: Dr R. Podschun (e-mail: podschun{at}medmicrobio.uni-kiel.de).

Received 26 March 1999; accepted 10 May 1999.

Abstract

A total of 92 clinical isolates of Klebsiella planticola from man was examined with respect to the production of haemagglutinins and siderophores, serum resistance and distribution of capsular types. For comparison, a group of 207 clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae was also studied. The percentages of K. planticola strains able to express mannose-sensitive haemagglutination, indicating type 1 fimbriae (83%) and mannose-resistant and Klebsiella-like agglutination, indicating type 3 fimbriae (69%), as well as to produce the siderophores enterobactin (100%) and aerobactin (2.2%) were almost identical to those of the K. pneumoniae strains. Similarly, the proportion of serum-resistant strains (30%) was comparable to that of K. pneumoniae (25%). The capsule types most often detected in K. planticola were K14 (13%), K2 (9%) and K70 (9%). The incidence of K2, which is the predominant capsular type in K. pneumoniae, was similar in both species. These findings show that K. planticola, which is being detected with increasing frequency in clinical specimens from man, has the ability to express similar putative virulence factors to K. pneumoniae, suggesting that they may have similar pathogenicity.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Marcal, A. T. Rego, M. A. Carrondo, and F. J. Enguita 1,3-Propanediol Dehydrogenase from Klebsiella pneumoniae: Decameric Quaternary Structure and Possible Subunit Cooperativity J. Bacteriol., February 15, 2009; 191(4): 1143 - 1151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Podschun, S. Pietsch, C. Holler, and U. Ullmann Incidence of Klebsiella Species in Surface Waters and Their Expression of Virulence Factors Appl. Envir. Microbiol., July 1, 2001; 67(7): 3325 - 3327. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. STOCK and B. WIEDEMANN Natural antibiotic susceptibility of Klebsiella pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, K. planticola, K. ornithinolytica and K. terrigena strains J. Med. Microbiol., May 1, 2001; 50(5): 396 - 406. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. PODSCHUN, A. FISCHER, and U. ULLMANN Characterisation of Hafnia alvei isolates from human clinical extra-intestinal specimens: haemagglutinins, serum resistance and siderophore synthesis J. Med. Microbiol., March 1, 2001; 50(3): 208 - 214. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]