Virulence properties and integron-associated antibiotic resistance of Klebsiella mobilis strains isolated from clinical specimens

Abstract

This study examined Klebsiella mobilis isolates cultured from clinical specimens for virulence-associated properties and antibiotic resistance. The strains produced a number of siderophores, including enterobactin, aerobactin and yersiniabactin. All isolates were able to adhere to and invade epithelial cells. They had cytotoxic activity, which caused destruction of human laryngeal epithelial HEp-2 cells and evoked lysis of murine macrophage J774 cells. Analyses of HEp-2 and J774 cellular morphology and DNA fragmentation in the cells showed features typical of cells undergoing apoptosis. Some K. mobilis strains harboured class 1 integrons carrying the aadA1 gene encoding an aminoglycoside adenyltransferase.