Klebsiella

Abstract

Belonging to the tribe Klebsielleae found in the family Enterobacteriaceae, the genus Klebsiella is the second most populous enteric genus found in the gastrointestinal tract of man. The genus Klebsiella is named after the late nineteenth century German microbiologist, Edwin Klebs, but the Klebsiella bacillus was for many years referred to as the Friedlander bacillus after being described by Carl Friedlander. The genus consists of four species, recognized by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, namely, K. pneumoniae (the type species), K. ozaenae, K. rhinoscleromatis, and K. oxytoca. K. pneumoniae is one of a few gram-negative rods that can cause a primary pneumonia.