A novel hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae ST3994-K2 clone belonging to Clonal Group 86

Pathog Dis. 2021 Oct 7;79(8):ftab047. doi: 10.1093/femspd/ftab047.

Abstract

Emergent hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae has been responsible for severe diseases, representing a serious threat to public health. We report the whole-genome sequencing of a novel ST3994-K2 clone, a single locus variant of ST86 K2, which is considered a worrying hypervirulent clone that emerged in several parts of the world. The strain K. pneumonia Kpi144 was isolated in 2013 from a blood culture of a 69-year-old male patient admitted to a tertiary hospital in Teresina, state of Piauí, northeastern Brazil. The strain was susceptible to 41 antibiotics tested, presented hypermucoviscous phenotype and a virulent behavior was observed in the Galleria mellonella infection model. Moreover, the virulome showed several virulence genes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first worldwide report of a novel ST3994-K2 K. pneumoniae clone, an SLV of ST86 K2, which is considered a worrying virulent clone that has emerged in several parts of the world, including South America and Brazil.

Keywords: Klebsiella pneumoniae; Clonal Group 86; ST3994; virulence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Physiological Phenomena*
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Genomics / methods
  • Humans
  • Klebsiella Infections / microbiology*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / classification
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / physiology*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Multilocus Sequence Typing
  • Phenotype
  • Phylogeny
  • Virulence / genetics
  • Virulence Factors / genetics
  • Whole Genome Sequencing

Substances

  • Virulence Factors