Clinical challenges with hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) in China

Abstract

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) is an evolving pathotype with higher virulence than classical K. pneumoniae (cKp) and is characterized by community-acquired, multiple sites of infections and young and healthy hosts. hvKP infections were primarily found in East Asia and have been increasingly reported worldwide over the past few decades. To better understand the clinical challenges faced by China with hvKP, this review will provide a summary and discussion focused on recognizing hvKP strains and prevalence of antibiotic-resistant hypervirulent strains in China and the mechanisms of acquiring antimicrobial resistance. Compared with cKP, hvKP is likely to cause serious disseminated infections, leading to a higher mortality. However, sensitive and specific clinical microbiology laboratory tests are still not available. Given the limited published data due to the clinical difficulty in differentiating hvKP from cKP, extrapolation of the previous data may not be applicable for the management of hvKP. A consensus definition of hvKP is needed. Furthermore, an increasing number of reports have described hvKp strains with antimicrobial resistance acquisition, increasing the challenges for management of hvKP. China, as an epidemic country, is also facing these challenges. Quite a number of studies from China have reported antibiotic-resistant hvKP strains, including extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), and carbapenem-, tigecycline-, and colistin-resistant strains. hvKP infections, especially those of antimicrobial-resistant strains, pose to be a great threat for public health in China. Therefore, an immediate response to recognize the hypervirulent strains and provide optimal treatments, especially those with resistance determinants, is an urgent priority for China.