Hospital infections: Klebsiella remains a concern even in nutrient-deprived conditions

A team at the ADA Forsyth Institute in the USA, headed by Batbileg Bor, has uncovered a significant element that may aid the proliferation of the multi-resistant pathogen Klebsiella within the nutrient-deprived polymicrobial communities common in hospital settings. Klebsiella ranks among the top three pathogens causing hospital-acquired infections, leading to pneumonia and intestinal diseases. These bacteria, while naturally occurring in healthy individuals’ oral and nasal cavities, can turn pathogenic under certain circumstances. The study, published in the 2024 issue of Microbiome, revealed that Klebsiella can outcompete other oral bacteria when nutrients are scarce. Additionally, the pathogen can extract nutrients from deceased bacteria, allowing it to endure prolonged periods of nutrient scarcity. The researchers observed that Klebsiella can persist in oral or nasal samples for more than 120 days without nutrients.