R. Podschun et al., SEROTYPES, HEMAGGLUTININS, SIDEROPHORE SYNTHESIS, AND SERUM RESISTANCE OF KLEBSIELLA ISOLATES CAUSING HUMAN URINARY-TRACT INFECTIONS, The Journal of infectious diseases, 168(6), 1993, pp. 1415-1421
A total of 146 Klebsiella isolates from human asymptomatic bacteriuria
(n = 73), cystitis (n = 54), and acute pyelonephritis (n = 19) were e
xamined for the presence of particular virulence factors. Capsular typ
e K2 was the most common serotype observed (13%). This capsule type wa
s prevalent in isolates from asymptomatic bacteriuria and cystitis but
not from pyelonephritis. Type 1 fimbriae were found significantly mor
e often in pyelonephritis isolates than among those from asymptomatic
and symptomatic lower urinary tract infection (UTI; P < .05), while no
marked differences were detected with respect to the distribution of
type 3 fimbriae. Serum resistance was more frequent among isolates fro
m symptomatic (26%) than from asymptomatic UTI (18%). Enterochelin was
produced by all but 1 of the isolates as determined by a bioassay. In
contrast, aerobactin synthesis was rare (3%), with isolates from pyel
onephritis showing the highest frequency of aerobactin production (3/1
9).