R. Podschun et al., Characterization of Klebsiella terrigena strains from humans: haemagglutinins, serum resistance, siderophore synthesis, and serotypes, EPIDEM INFE, 125(1), 2000, pp. 71-78
Klebsiella terrigena is very rarely isolated from humans; as yet, its clini
cal significance is uncertain. The aim of the present study was to evaluate
whether this species is able to express putative virulence factors. A tota
l of 72 faecal (n = 50) and clinical (n = 22) K. terrigena isolates was inv
estigated and compared with faecal and clinical strains of K. pneumoniae. M
annose-sensitive haemagglutination (MSHA) was observed less often in K. ter
rigena (64-74 %) than in K. pneumoniae strains. In contrast, the incidence
of mannose-resistant haemagglutinin indicative of type 3 pili (MR/K-HA) (77
-94 %), serum resistance properties (10-23 %), and production of enterobact
in (100 %) was similar in both species. None of the K. terrigena isolates w
ere able to synthesize aerobactin; however, the frequency of aerobactin syn
thesis in K. pneumoniae was also only 5%. Serotyping showed capsular types
KS and K70 to be predominant. The virulence-associated serotype K2 was comm
on in both K. terrigena and K. pneumoniae isolates. Taken together, the pre
sent results suggest that K. terrigena and K. pneumoniae are indistinguisha
ble with respect to the expression of virulence factors.