Mice were orally fed with nonpathogenic, pathogenic, or GFP-expressing K. pneumoniae for 2 weeks. The translocation of K. pneumoniae to liver and MLNs was examined. Non-pathogenic as well as K. pneumoniae translocation to liver and MLNs did not happen in the control mice. Translocation of pathogenic K. pneumoniae (K2) to liver and MLNs was significantly increased in STZ-DM mice as compared with the control group. Translocation of K. pneumoniae to liver was significantly increased by feeding pathogenic K. pneumoniae (K2) as compared with non-K. pneumoniae feeding and GFP-expressing K. pneumoniae feeding in STZ-DM mice. STZ, streptozotocin; DM, diabetes mellitus; GFP, green fluorescence protein; MLNs, mesenteric lymph nodes. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001. n = 5/group.