Abstract
Klebsiella species cause a wide range of diseases including pneumonia, urinary tract infections (UTIs), bloodstream infections and sepsis. These infections are particularly a problem among neonates, elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Klebsiella is also responsible for a significant number of community-acquired infections. A defining feature of these infections is their morbidity and mortality, and the Klebsiella strains associated with them are considered hypervirulent. The increasing isolation of multidrug-resistant strains has significantly narrowed, or in some settings completely removed, the therapeutic options for the treatment of Klebsiella infections. Not surprisingly, this pathogen has then been singled out as an ‘urgent threat to human health’ by several organisations. This review summarises the tremendous progress that has been made to uncover the sophisticated immune evasion strategies of K. pneumoniae. The co-evolution of Klebsiella in response to the challenge of an activated immune has made Klebsiella a formidable pathogen exploiting stealth strategies and actively suppressing innate immune defences to overcome host responses to survive in the tissues. A better understanding of Klebsiella immune evasion strategies in the context of the host–pathogen interactions is pivotal to develop new therapeutics, which can be based on antagonising the anti-immune strategies of this pathogen.
Highlights
Klebsiella species cause a wide range of diseases including pneumonia, urinary tract infections (UTIs), bloodstream infections and sepsis
Klebsiella pneumoniae was first described by Carl Friedlander in 1882 as a bacterium isolated from the lungs of patients who had died from pneumonia (Friedlander 1882)
This review focuses on the complex interaction between Klebsiella species and the innate immune system, and summarises our understanding of Klebsiella anti-immune strategies
Summary
Klebsiella pneumoniae was first described by Carl Friedlander in 1882 as a bacterium isolated from the lungs of patients who had died from pneumonia (Friedlander 1882). K. pneumoniae infections are a problem among neonates, elderly and immunocompromised individuals within the healthcare setting (Magill et al 2014). This organism is responsible for a significant number of community-acquired infections worldwide (Ko et al 2002). Defining features of these infections are the ability to metastatically spread and their significant morbidity and mortality (Paczosa and Mecsas 2016). Received: 10 September 2018; Accepted: 16 November 2018 C FEMS 2018.
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