title: Factors associated with airway colonisation and invasion due to Klebsiella spp.
abstract: The clinical significance of a heavy growth of Klebsiella spp. in sputum was studied in 54 patients. All but 3 patients had significant factors potentially associated with respiratory tract colonisation or invasion. Risk factors identified for colonisation of the airway and for invasive disease were similar. Patients with community-acquired Klebsiella infections were more likely to have underlying chronic respiratory diseases. Prior antibiotic use was a risk factor for nosocomial infections which occurred more commonly with antibiotic-resistant organisms. The most common diagnoses were airway colonisation, acute community-acquired chest infections, and nosocomial chest infections. Primary acute community-acquired pneumonia was uncommon. The sensitivity and specificity of the sputum Gram stain (in the setting of positive sputum cultures) in suggesting the presence of invasive disease due to Klebsiella spp. were 42% and 69% respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, South African Institute for Medical Research, Hillbrow Hospital, Johannesburg.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaka
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goolam Mahomed
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frankel
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Koornhof
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*