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KLEBSIELLA INFECTION
FACT SHEET
Overview
Klebsiella is a type of Gram-negative bacteria. Klebsiella bacteria are normally
found in the human intestines and in human stool. When these bacteria get into
other areas of the body, they can cause infection. These infections could include:
• urinary tract infections;
• pneumonia;
• bloodstream infections (also called sepsis);
• wound or surgical site infections; and
• meningitis.
Klebsiella is a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Sometimes bacteria like Klebsiella change so that certain antibiotics don’t kill them
anymore. This is called “resistant.” Increasingly, Klebsiella has been found to be
resistant to the class of antibiotics known as carbapenems.
Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of Klebsiella infection depend on the location of infection.
General signs of infection might include:
• fever;
• chills;
• redness;
• swelling;
• pain; and
• drainage or pus from a wound or surgical site.
Causes and Transmission
Klebsiella bacteria are mostly spread through person-to-person contact. Less
commonly, they are spread by contamination in the environment. As with other
healthcare-associated infections, the bacteria can be spread in a health care setting
via the contaminated hands of health care workers. The bacteria are not spread
through the air.
Risk Factors
