Invasive Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae Syndrome Originating from an Anorectal Abscess as Opposed to a Pyogenic Liver Abscess

Abstract

An immunocompetent 49-year-old man presented with swelling and pain in the lower region of his left leg that had lasted for 4 weeks. The diagnosis was severe pyomyositis and osteomyelitis in the lower left leg caused by hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) along with multiple metastatic infections in the kidneys, lungs, and brain originating from an anorectal abscess. A virulence-gene analysis revealed that the isolated K. pneumoniae harbored rmpA, entB, ybtS, kfu, iutA, mrkD, and allS-virulence genes and belonged to the K1 capsular serotype. After repeated abscess drainage procedures, intravenous ceftriaxone was administered for more than 10 weeks, and the patient’s infection was controlled. We focused on the clinical features of hvKP originating from an anorectal abscess without a pyogenic liver abscess. We suggest that hvKP be considered a causative pathogen of pyomyositis and osteomyelitis resulting in multiple metastatic infections in an immunocompetent patient, and more information on the unexpected multiple metastatic infections should be obtained from a virulence analysis of K. pneumoniae.