A global emerging disease of Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess: Is serotype K1 an important factor for complicated endophthalmitis?

Abstract

Background and aims: Over the past two decades in Toiwan, pyogenic liver abscess has usually been caused by a single microorganism, Klebsiella pneurnoniae, and is frequently associated with the serious complication of endophthalmitis, especially in diabetic patients. However, the relationship between the clinical presentation and bacterial factors remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features of patients and the serotype and ribotype of K pneurnoniae liver abscess. Methods: From July 1991 to June 1998, a total of 134 cases of K pneurnoniae liver abscess with 248 K pneumoniae isolates from the same patients were collected from two large medical centres in northern Taiwan. Clinical data were collected from medical records. Serotyping and ribotyping were performed using the countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis method and automated Riboprinter. Results: Serotyping revealed that the most common serotypes were K1 (63.4%) and K2 (14.2%). K1 isolates occurred at a significantly higher frequency (p