RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Rafat, Cédric A1 Messika, Jonathan A1 Barnaud, Guilène A1 Dufour, Nicolas A1 Magdoud, Fatma A1 Billard-Pomarès, Typhaine A1 Gaudry, Stéphane A1 Dreyfuss, Didier A1 Branger, Catherine A1 Decré, Dominique A1 Ricard, Jean-DamienYR 2018 T1 Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae, a 5-year study in a French ICU JF Journal of Medical Microbiology, VO 67 IS 8 SP 1083 OP 1089 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.000788 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1473-5644, AB Purpose. Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) has emerged as a leading cause of severe community-acquired pneumonia, liver abscess and disseminated infection in the Far East. Data regarding the incidence, clinical features and microbiological characteristics related to hvKp infections in the Western world are scarce. Methodology. The incidence, clinical features and microbiological characteristics of hvKp infections were investigated through a 5-year survey conducted in a single French intensive care unit. K. pneumoniae strains were screened for hypermucoviscosity based on a string test. Multilocus sequence typing and multiplex PCR analysis targeting virulence genes were performed on string test-positive strains. Results. Over a 53-month period, a total of 59 infections due to K. pneumoniae were identified including 26 community-onset infections. Twelve hvKp infections were documented, accounting for 46.1 % of community-acquired K. pneumoniae. Community-acquired pneumonia (n=6), aspiration pneumonia (n=4) and liver abscess (n=2) represented initial sites and mode of infection. Compared to non-hvKp infections, patients with hvKp infections displayed higher rates of multi-organ failure (83.3 % vs 35.7 %; P=0.04), but mortality rates were not different (50 % vs 35 %; P=0.71). Strains K1/ST23 (n=5) and K2/ST86 (n=5) predominated. All hvKp strains displayed wild-type susceptibility. Conclusion. hvKp represent a potentially underestimated cause of fatal infections in the Western world., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.000788