Table 1. Characteristics of classical and hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strains.
| Parameter | Characteristics for strain type | |
|---|---|---|
| Classical | Hypervirulent | |
| Common types of infection | Pneumonia, UTI, bacteremia | Pyogenic liver abscess, bacteremia, pneumonia, necrotizing fasciitis, myositis, meningitis, endophthalmitis |
| Susceptible population | Immunosuppressed (diabetics, patients with malignancies) | Diabetics, healthy people |
| Capsule type | Capsule serotypes K1-K78 | Hypercapsular serotype K1 (93%) or K2 |
| Siderophores (% of strains expressing siderophore) | Enterobactin (100), yersiniabactin (17–46), salmochelin (2–4), aerobactin (6) | Enterobactin (100), yersiniabactin (90), salmochelin (>90), aerobactin (93–100) |
| Primary acquired infection type | Nosocomial | Community acquired |
| Geographic concentration | Worldwide | Primarily Taiwan, Korea, and Southeast Asia |
| Frequency of reports of antibiotic resistance | Frequent (ESBL and carbapenemase producing) | Infrequent |
UTI, urinary tract infections; ESBL, extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.