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Klebsiella Pneumonia

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The first test done for Klebsiella pneumoniae (the gram stain) indicated that this bacteria was rod shaped and therefore, using the dichotomous key the family of bacteria that were ruled out consisted of the genera Neisseria and Rodospirillum. The next tests that were vital to the identification process were the oxygen requirements and glucose fermentation tests. The test results gave us the confirmed family of our species which was Enterobacteriaceae. The negative oxidase test performed confirmed this. Once the lactose fermentation test was performed, many genera were ruled out, including: Salmonella, Serratia, Proteus, Providencia and Marganella. The genera that remained included: Escherichia, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Citrobacter. For …show more content…

it also belongs to the normal intestinal flora of humans Many bacteria from this genus, including Klebsiella pneumonia are capable of nitrogen fixation. This bacteria is an extremely virulent bacteria in part due to its polysaccharide capsule which makes it more difficult for phagocytosis to occur and also allows the bacteria to easily adhere to and colonize the respiratory and urinary tracts. This virulent bacteria has been given the title of superbug which refers to its resistance to many antibiotics. Its resistance to antibiotics is related to the presence of carbapenemase, an enzyme, in the organism which makes it resistance to carbapenamase. It is only pathogenic when the immune system is compromised due to a chronic illness or debilitation and therefore it is acquired mostly in healthcare settings, mainly long-term care facilities. When it is pathogenic, the bacteria is commonly the causative agent of bacterial pneumonia, a necrotizing lobar pneumonia, and urinary tract infections. Since this bacteria is resistant to many antibiotics and is very virulent, a combination of antibiotics are used to treat it including levofloxacin, ampicillin, meropenem, terizidone and many others. The control of this bacteria is aimed at the prevention of transmission in hospitals with strategies that include contact isolation precautions, proper hand washing and textbook nursing

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