Bacteriological and Molecular Study of Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen frequently involved in severe infections, particularly urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and bacteremia. The international spread of antibiotic resistance in this bacterium is a major public health problem. It is therefore essential to understand the genetic mechanisms involved and to implement appropriate hygiene measures to prevent and stop the transmission of these multi-resistant bacteria in our hospitals. This study made it possible to: highlight the prevalence of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated in hospitals in Annaba, Algeria; identify the genetic basis for this resistance; study the possibilities for the transfer of resistance genes; and determine the clonal relationship between these multidrug-resistant strains. This work provides a good foundation on the Klebsiella pneumoniae species and its mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, which will be of interest to microbiologists, infectious disease specialists, and epidemiologists.