Virulence of a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain carrying the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1)

• DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2011.08.015
• Publication Date: 2011-09-06T22:49:08Z
• Authors: Kurt Fuursted; Lone Schøler; Frank Hansen; Karen Dam; Martin S. Bojer; Anette M. Hammerum; Frederik Dagnæs-H...; Anders Olsen; Yousef Jasemian; Carsten Struve
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Virulence; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; beta-Lactamases; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Body Temperature; Klebsiella Infections; 3. Good health; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Biofilms; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Sepsis; Models, Animal; Animals; Humans; Female; Caenorhabditis elegans

The aim of the study was to compare and evaluate virulence in five strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, including an isolate carrying New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1). In vivo virulence was assessed using a murine sepsis model and using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans killing model, and in vitro virulence by assessing various virulence factors. The NDM-1 carrying K. pneumoniae isolate was the most virulent in the murine sepsis model but there was no clear cut correlation to in vitro virulence factors or killing in C. elegans. It is concluded that K. pneumoniae carrying NDM-1 have an intrinsic virulence potential, which in coexistence with its multiresistance could promote and partly explain its epidemiological success.