Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the types of bacteria that normally live in the digestive tract, ie in the human intestines, and does not cause any disease there.
However, if there is a reduction in host immunity and if Klebsiella pneumoniae spreads to other parts of the body, this can lead to many diseases, including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, meningitis, and urinary tract infections.
Infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae most commonly occur in a hospital setting.
This article will be dedicated to the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae.
How can people get a Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI?
As this study shows, it has become medical common knowledge that gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most common uropathogenic bacteria causing UTIs.
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a gram-negative bacterium and it mainly spreads from person to person. It is less likely to spread through environmental contamination.
Like other bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae can very often be obtained in hospital setting, through the contaminated hands of healthcare professionals. Klebsiella pneumoniae does not spread through the air.
Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the bacteria that is very resistant to antibiotics, which makes it an additional problem during treatment. It is most often resistant to antibiotics from the carbapenem group, such as meropenem.
How will a UTI patient get Klebsiella pneumonia, most likely?
Since this is a hospital bacterium, patients suffering from UTI and who are treated in hospital due to a weakened immune system can get their UTIs complicated by a Klebsiella pneumonae infection.
This most often happens if the patient does not maintain proper hand hygiene and if the measures of maintaining proper hygiene in hospital conditions are not followed.
Healthy patients do not have to worry about getting Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Infection can also occur through the use of contaminated medical equipment. For example, UTIs of people who are hospitalized and use catheters that are used incorrectly can lead to Klebsiella pneumonae infections.
Prolonged use of antibiotics may also increase the risk of UTIs getting complicated by Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Klebsiella UTIs most commonly occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract. Although it can affect almost all UTI people, UTI people who have a urinary catheter or a tube that is placed in the body to drain and collect urine from their bladder are more likely.
Women are immediately more likely to get Klebsiella pneumoniae, as well as people who have some kind of kidney disease.
How serious is Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI?
Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI is a very serious bacterial infection.
Although Klebsiella pneumoniae is a normal resident of the digestive organs, in cases of weakened immunity and poor hospital conditions, it can spread to other organs and cause various diseases, including urinary tract infection.
This infection is very difficult to treat with antibiotics because it quickly becomes resistant to many antibiotics and can even endanger the patient’s life.
Is Klebsiella pneumoniae common in people with UTI?
Yes, Klebsiella pneumoniae is common in UTI people. Namely, studies have shown that this bacterium, together with Escherichia coli, is one of the most common gram-negative bacteria that cause UTIs.
A 2016 study shows that in the last 6 months, of the 272 patients admitted, 46 (16.91%) had UTIs, of which 15 (32.60%) had Klebsiella pneumoniae, 8 (17.08%) men and 7 (15.22%) women. Specifically, 30.43% of patients had UTIs with Klebsiella pneumoniae.
These are big numbers, considering that this is a very serious bacterium that is very persistent and difficult to treat, especially if it becomes resistant.
Why do I keep getting Klebsiella UTI?
Klebsiella UTI usually occurs if you already have an associated disease.
The most common risk factors for Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI are age, long-term use of antibiotics, long-term use of corticosteroids, if you are in a hospital, if you use a urinary catheter, if you have surgery, if you have diabetes or kidney disease, if you are on dialysis or have a transplanted kidney, or if you have cancer.
Many of these diseases can reduce your immune system’s strength so much and make it very susceptible to developing Klebsiella pneumonae UTI. See this study.
Diabetics are one group of patients who are at high risk of getting UTI. Especially if they are hospitalized for the treatment of a condition, so there is an additional risk of getting Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI for these patients.
People who have kidney disease, are on dialysis, or have a kidney transplant are also at high risk of getting Klebsiella UTI.
All people who have a severely weakened immune system due to an underlying disease, such as cancer, can get Klebsiella UTI in a hospital setting.
If you need to carry a urinary catheter, you will likely get a Klebsiella UTI with a weakened immune system and poor hygiene.
Courtesy: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
How can a UTI with Klebsiella pneumoniae be treated?
UTIs with Klebsiella pneumoniae are treated by doctors. Antibiotics are most often used in therapy. However, this bacterium can be very difficult to treat with antibiotics because some strains can be very resistant to antibiotics.
If that happens, some additional laboratory tests will be done to help find the best antibiotic to treat the infection. It is important to follow your doctor’s instructions.
Your doctor may prescribe a long-term course of antibiotics with smaller doses to keep the infection under control (to prevent further episodes). If you do not follow the doctor’s instructions, Klebsiella pneumoniae infection can return very quickly.
How to treat antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infections?
Hospital-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infection is highly resistant to multiple drugs and poses a significant challenge to physicians worldwide.
Resistance spreads among different strains of bacteria and poses a major threat to clinical professionals.
It is very important to do antibiotic susceptibility testing and optimize antibiotic therapy for urinary tract infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae. One study addressed this issue, and a combination of amikacin and meropenem was used as antibiotic therapy.
The Klebsiella pneumoniae-resistant bacterium is very resistant to several broad-spectrum antibiotics such as ampicillin and cephalosporins, which have previously been used very effectively in the treatment of this bacterium.
The mechanism of its resistance is probably a consequence of the production of enzymes such as β-lactamases of the broad spectrum and carbapenemases, which are resistant to the action of these antibiotics. See this reference.
Klebsiella pneumoniae is obtained in the hospital, most often after invasive surgical procedures. If a UTI occurs with this bacterium, it is extremely difficult to treat, and at the same time, they have a significant mortality rate worldwide.
It is very important to conduct timely and appropriate antibiotic therapy to improve the survival of patients.
Susceptibility testing can be very helpful in determining which antibiotics would be appropriate to treat these nosocomial infections.
Therefore, physicians must be aware of the possibility of infection with these organisms occurring in a hospital setting and should take all precautions, including hand hygiene, to prevent its occurrence.
Antibiotic susceptibility testing will also ensure that prolonged hospital stays because of Klebsiella pneumonae infections are prevented.
Monotherapy is treatment with one antibiotic, it should last 3 days and be effective.
Complicated cases of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection can be treated with oral quinolones or intravenous aminoglycosides, imipenem, aztreonam, and third-generation cephalosporins depending on the susceptibility test. The duration of treatment is usually 14-21 days. Intravenous therapy lasts until body temperature drops.
Klebsiella pneumonae colonies on petri dish. Author: Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya.
Do the symptoms of Klebsiella pneumonia UTIs differ from other kinds of UTI?
UTI infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae do not always cause symptoms. If symptoms occur, they may include frequent need to urinate, pain and tingling when urinating, bloody or cloudy urine, excretion of small amounts of urine, pain in the back or pelvis, lower abdominal discomfort, and fever.
If you have UTI caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae (upper urinary tract infection) in the kidneys, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the upper back and hips may occur.
These are practically symptoms that also occur in UTI infections caused by other bacteria, such as Escherichia coli.
Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI treatment in pregnancy
The microorganisms that cause UTIs during pregnancy are the same as in non-pregnant patients. Escherichia coli generally accounts for 80 to 90 percent of infections. Other gram-negative microorganisms are Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae are also common.
Gram-positive microorganisms such as group B streptococcus and Staphylococcus saprophyticus are less common causes of UTIs.
Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the gram-negative bacilli that is most often found in the urine of pregnant women and can cause neonatal sepsis.
Pregnant women should be treated when bacteriuria (bacteria in urine) or Klebsiella pneumoniae is found.
The choice of antibiotics should depend on several factors. It should be safe for the mother and fetus, and at the same time kill Klebsiella pneumoniae. Ampicillin was the drug of choice for UTI infections in pregnant women.
However, the resistance of bacteria to this antibiotic began to appear. Cephalosporins are well tolerated in pregnancy and provide adequate therapy. Fosfomycin (Monurol) is one of the newer antibiotics that is taken in a single dose.
Sulfonamides can be taken during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, but if used during the third trimester, sulfonamides carry the risk that newborns will develop kernicterus or increased accumulation of bilirubin in the brain.
Other common antibiotics (eg fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines) should not be prescribed during pregnancy due to their toxic effects on the fetus.
Klebsiella pneumoniae treatment guidelines
Guidelines for the treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae
– After the appearance of the first symptoms or after the routine detection of this bacterium, be sure to contact a doctor
– After a detailed examination and various diagnostic tests, the doctor prescribes an appropriate antibiotic for the treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae
– It is important to follow the instructions and take the therapy as prescribed by the doctor and at the appropriate time interval.
– If hospital treatment is needed, the patient must receive an antibiotic by infusion.
– In the meantime, you can also try natural substances that work against Klebsiella pneumoniae.
What are the best antibiotics for the treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infections
Klebsiella pneumoniae is best treated with third and fourth-generation cephalosporins, quinolones, or carbapenems.
If the patient is allergic to penicillin, then the doctor should prescribe some other antibiotics, such as aztreonam or quinolone.
For nosocomial infections (infection acquired in a healthcare setting), carbapenem can be used as monotherapy until susceptibility is reported.
The last line of defense against this bacterium is the antibiotic’s carbapenems. However, there is a high resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae to this antibiotic, which is a major problem in treatment.
When bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae produce an enzyme known as carbapenemase then a class of antibiotics called carbapenems will not work to kill the bacteria and treat the UTI caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Can Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infection be treated naturally
Yes, Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infection can be treated naturally. See this reference.
A large number of UTI people also resort to alternative treatments, ie they are looking for numerous natural preparations for the treatment of UTIs. Our blog is very rich in a large number of articles that can be used for the natural healing of UTIs.
As for Klebsiella pneumoniae, some studies have shown that it can be treated naturally. These are natural substances that have urobactericidal activity, or more precisely, they can kill harmful bacteria.
But these measures can only work with mild cases of UTI so it is better to consult the doctor in the case of a Klebsiella UTI.
On the other hand, natural measures or home remedies can be used as adjunctive therapy in addition to the doctor’s prescription. See our best UTI home remedies article.
Non-pharmacological treatments for Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI
There is a list of substances that act against bacteria in the urinary tract, more precisely against Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Studies have shown that the essential oils of wild basil or African basil, as well as sage, work against Klebsiella pneumoniae UTIs.
Cranberry has also been very effective against Klebsiella pneumoniae UTIs. Cranberry has antimicrobial activity. 275 mg of dried, whole cranberries or 25 mg of concentrated, dried cranberries can have a beneficial effect against Klebsiella pneumoniae.
According to the aforementioned study, there was a 65% reduction in the number of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria after consuming cranberries.
Any good quality cranberry supplement is good for the purpose of fighting urinary tract infections, especially those caused by klebsiella pneumoniae. What’s important is the type and concentration of ingriedents inside each pill.
And because AZO Cranberry Urinary Tract Health Dietary Supplement has a high cranberry extract concentration, I recommend it for our readers. Check it on Amazon.
Does having a Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infection require going to the doctor?
When someone gets Klebsiella pneumoniae, they usually have symptoms and report them to a doctor. These are symptoms that also occur in UTIs caused by other bacteria.
However, sometimes a UTI caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae can pass without symptoms so during routine examinations it can be discovered that it exists in the urine.
UTI people who have to deal with Klebsiella pneumoniae UTIs for a long time must be constantly monitored and tested. They usually receive preventative antibiotic therapy from a doctor, in which they need to take antibiotics in minimal doses, to prevent the re-emergence of Klebsiella pneumoniae and worsen the clinical picture although this preventative measure is strongly debated.
Such UTI people must get all the important information about their condition from the doctor.
Klebsiella infections are usually diagnosed by a laboratory test that examines a urine sample. In addition, blood can be given. Additional tests can be done, as well as ultrasound.
In addition, susceptibility tests are best done to determine which antibiotics are likely to be effective in treating the infection.
Lemon juice is very rich in vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant and very important for strengthening immunity.
Lemon juice inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause UTIs and acts as a diuretic because it helps expel toxins from the urinary tract. This is very important for UTI infections because in this way lemon juice prevents the recurrence of the infection. Read my lemon for UTI article for more.
When Can Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infection be fatal?
Klebsiella pneumonia can be fatal. Klebsiella pneumoniae has a high mortality rate of about 50% even with antimicrobial therapy, the mortality rate is approaching 100% for people with alcoholism and bacteremia.
Klebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infection can be fatal in cases where the infection becomes resistant to antibiotics used in the treatment of Klebsiella pneumonia UTIs and the doctor no longer has a choice as to which antibiotics to prescribe, and how to treat these UTI people.
In cases when all the known treatments of Klebsiella pneumoniae do not give any results. Then there is a high probability that Klebsiella pneumoniae will lead to fatal outcomes.
Early detection, in addition to susceptibility testing, maintaining proper hygiene, and using adjunctive therapy (such as home remedies) and psychological support can help reduce that probability.
Now we have reached the end of our article so If you need any more help with your UTI, feel free to contact us or check the plethora of articles we have about this subject on our website KNOW & TREAT UTI.
Stay healthy and have a wonderful rest of your day.