Prophylaxis and Treatment against <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Current Insights on This Emerging Anti-Microbial Resistant Global Threat
<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (Kp) is an opportunistic pathogen and the leading cause of healthcare-associated infections, mostly affecting subjects with compromised immune systems or suffering from concurrent bacterial infections. However, the dramatic increase in hypervirulent strains a...
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/8/4042 |
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| author | Vanessa Arato Maria Michelina Raso Gianmarco Gasperini Francesco Berlanda Scorza Francesca Micoli |
| author_facet | Vanessa Arato Maria Michelina Raso Gianmarco Gasperini Francesco Berlanda Scorza Francesca Micoli |
| author_sort | Vanessa Arato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (Kp) is an opportunistic pathogen and the leading cause of healthcare-associated infections, mostly affecting subjects with compromised immune systems or suffering from concurrent bacterial infections. However, the dramatic increase in hypervirulent strains and the emergence of new multidrug-resistant clones resulted in Kp occurrence among previously healthy people and in increased morbidity and mortality, including neonatal sepsis and death across low- and middle-income countries. As a consequence, carbapenem-resistant and extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Kp have been prioritized as a critical anti-microbial resistance threat by the World Health Organization and this has renewed the interest of the scientific community in developing a vaccine as well as treatments alternative to the now ineffective antibiotics. Capsule polysaccharide is the most important virulence factor of Kp and plays major roles in the pathogenesis but its high variability (more than 100 different types have been reported) makes the identification of a universal treatment or prevention strategy very challenging. However, less variable virulence factors such as the O-Antigen, outer membrane proteins as fimbriae and siderophores might also be key players in the fight against Kp infections. Here, we review elements of the current status of the epidemiology and the molecular pathogenesis of Kp and explore specific bacterial antigens as potential targets for both prophylactic and therapeutic solutions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:20:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a4cd471bca847bf99c9cf061f190d9e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:20:23Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a4cd471bca847bf99c9cf061f190d9e2023-11-21T15:33:20ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-04-01228404210.3390/ijms22084042Prophylaxis and Treatment against <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Current Insights on This Emerging Anti-Microbial Resistant Global ThreatVanessa Arato0Maria Michelina Raso1Gianmarco Gasperini2Francesco Berlanda Scorza3Francesca Micoli4GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, ItalyGSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, ItalyGSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, ItalyGSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, ItalyGSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (Kp) is an opportunistic pathogen and the leading cause of healthcare-associated infections, mostly affecting subjects with compromised immune systems or suffering from concurrent bacterial infections. However, the dramatic increase in hypervirulent strains and the emergence of new multidrug-resistant clones resulted in Kp occurrence among previously healthy people and in increased morbidity and mortality, including neonatal sepsis and death across low- and middle-income countries. As a consequence, carbapenem-resistant and extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Kp have been prioritized as a critical anti-microbial resistance threat by the World Health Organization and this has renewed the interest of the scientific community in developing a vaccine as well as treatments alternative to the now ineffective antibiotics. Capsule polysaccharide is the most important virulence factor of Kp and plays major roles in the pathogenesis but its high variability (more than 100 different types have been reported) makes the identification of a universal treatment or prevention strategy very challenging. However, less variable virulence factors such as the O-Antigen, outer membrane proteins as fimbriae and siderophores might also be key players in the fight against Kp infections. Here, we review elements of the current status of the epidemiology and the molecular pathogenesis of Kp and explore specific bacterial antigens as potential targets for both prophylactic and therapeutic solutions.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/8/4042<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>anti-microbial resistancevaccinesmonoclonal antibodies |
| spellingShingle | Vanessa Arato Maria Michelina Raso Gianmarco Gasperini Francesco Berlanda Scorza Francesca Micoli Prophylaxis and Treatment against <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Current Insights on This Emerging Anti-Microbial Resistant Global Threat International Journal of Molecular Sciences <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> anti-microbial resistance vaccines monoclonal antibodies |
| title | Prophylaxis and Treatment against <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Current Insights on This Emerging Anti-Microbial Resistant Global Threat |
| title_full | Prophylaxis and Treatment against <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Current Insights on This Emerging Anti-Microbial Resistant Global Threat |
| title_fullStr | Prophylaxis and Treatment against <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Current Insights on This Emerging Anti-Microbial Resistant Global Threat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prophylaxis and Treatment against <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Current Insights on This Emerging Anti-Microbial Resistant Global Threat |
| title_short | Prophylaxis and Treatment against <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>: Current Insights on This Emerging Anti-Microbial Resistant Global Threat |
| title_sort | prophylaxis and treatment against i klebsiella pneumoniae i current insights on this emerging anti microbial resistant global threat |
| topic | <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> anti-microbial resistance vaccines monoclonal antibodies |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/8/4042 |
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