Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Insights into Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Fight Strategies Against a Superbug
Community-acquired infections caused by <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (<i>K. pneumoniae</i>) have become a significant global health concern, particularly with the emergence of hypervirulent strains (hvKP). These strains are associated with severe infections, such as pyogenic...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Helal F. Hetta Fawaz E. Alanazi Mostafa A. Sayed Ali Ahmed D. Alatawi Hashim M. Aljohani Rehab Ahmed Nuha A. Alansari Fahad M. Alkhathami Alaa Albogmi Bander M. Alharbi Hanadi S. Alanzi Amirah B. Alaqyli Yasmin N. Ramadan |
| author_facet | Helal F. Hetta Fawaz E. Alanazi Mostafa A. Sayed Ali Ahmed D. Alatawi Hashim M. Aljohani Rehab Ahmed Nuha A. Alansari Fahad M. Alkhathami Alaa Albogmi Bander M. Alharbi Hanadi S. Alanzi Amirah B. Alaqyli Yasmin N. Ramadan |
| author_sort | Helal F. Hetta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Community-acquired infections caused by <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (<i>K. pneumoniae</i>) have become a significant global health concern, particularly with the emergence of hypervirulent strains (hvKP). These strains are associated with severe infections, such as pyogenic liver abscesses, even in otherwise healthy individuals. Initially reported in Taiwan in the 1980s, hvKP has now spread worldwide. The pathogenicity of hvKP is attributed to an array of virulence factors that enhance its ability to colonize and evade host immune defenses. Additionally, the convergence of hypervirulence with antibiotic resistance has further complicated treatment strategies. As a member of the ESKAPE group of pathogens, <i>K. pneumoniae</i> exhibits high resistance to multiple antibiotics, posing a challenge for healthcare settings. This review provides a comprehensive overview of hvKP, highlighting its structural and pathogenic differences from classical <i>K. pneumoniae</i> strains, key virulence factors, mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, and the increasing threat of multidrug-resistant hvKP. Lastly, we discuss current treatment guidelines and emerging therapeutic strategies to combat this formidable pathogen. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-72e7db9a8c3f484abd686138a7edc1f7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1424-8247 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceuticals |
| spelling | doaj-art-72e7db9a8c3f484abd686138a7edc1f72025-08-20T01:56:41ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472025-05-0118572410.3390/ph18050724Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Insights into Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Fight Strategies Against a SuperbugHelal F. Hetta0Fawaz E. Alanazi1Mostafa A. Sayed Ali2Ahmed D. Alatawi3Hashim M. Aljohani4Rehab Ahmed5Nuha A. Alansari6Fahad M. Alkhathami7Alaa Albogmi8Bander M. Alharbi9Hanadi S. Alanzi10Amirah B. Alaqyli11Yasmin N. Ramadan12Division of Microbiology, Immunology and Biotechnology, Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madina 41477, Saudi ArabiaDivision of Microbiology, Immunology and Biotechnology, Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi ArabiaLaboratory Medicine, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Jeddah 22231, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 47315, Saudi ArabiaMedical Laboratory Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 80216, Saudi ArabiaMedical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 47524, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 47315, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 47315, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, EgyptCommunity-acquired infections caused by <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (<i>K. pneumoniae</i>) have become a significant global health concern, particularly with the emergence of hypervirulent strains (hvKP). These strains are associated with severe infections, such as pyogenic liver abscesses, even in otherwise healthy individuals. Initially reported in Taiwan in the 1980s, hvKP has now spread worldwide. The pathogenicity of hvKP is attributed to an array of virulence factors that enhance its ability to colonize and evade host immune defenses. Additionally, the convergence of hypervirulence with antibiotic resistance has further complicated treatment strategies. As a member of the ESKAPE group of pathogens, <i>K. pneumoniae</i> exhibits high resistance to multiple antibiotics, posing a challenge for healthcare settings. This review provides a comprehensive overview of hvKP, highlighting its structural and pathogenic differences from classical <i>K. pneumoniae</i> strains, key virulence factors, mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, and the increasing threat of multidrug-resistant hvKP. Lastly, we discuss current treatment guidelines and emerging therapeutic strategies to combat this formidable pathogen.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/5/724hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>antibiotic resistancemultidrug resistancepathogenesistreatment strategies |
| spellingShingle | Helal F. Hetta Fawaz E. Alanazi Mostafa A. Sayed Ali Ahmed D. Alatawi Hashim M. Aljohani Rehab Ahmed Nuha A. Alansari Fahad M. Alkhathami Alaa Albogmi Bander M. Alharbi Hanadi S. Alanzi Amirah B. Alaqyli Yasmin N. Ramadan Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Insights into Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Fight Strategies Against a Superbug Pharmaceuticals hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> antibiotic resistance multidrug resistance pathogenesis treatment strategies |
| title | Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Insights into Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Fight Strategies Against a Superbug |
| title_full | Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Insights into Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Fight Strategies Against a Superbug |
| title_fullStr | Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Insights into Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Fight Strategies Against a Superbug |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Insights into Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Fight Strategies Against a Superbug |
| title_short | Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Insights into Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Fight Strategies Against a Superbug |
| title_sort | hypervirulent i klebsiella pneumoniae i insights into virulence antibiotic resistance and fight strategies against a superbug |
| topic | hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> antibiotic resistance multidrug resistance pathogenesis treatment strategies |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/5/724 |
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