Animal Model To Study Klebsiella pneumoniae Gastrointestinal Colonization and Host-to-Host Transmission

Abstract

An important yet poorly understood facet of the life cycle of a successful pathogen is host-to-host transmission. Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) resulting from the transmission of drug-resistant pathogens affect hundreds of millions of patients worldwide. Klebsiella pneumoniae , a Gram-negative bacterium, is notorious for causing HAI, with many of these infections difficult to treat, as K. pneumoniae has become multidrug resistant. Epidemiological studies suggest that K. pneumoniae host-to-host transmission requires close contact and generally occurs through the fecal-oral route.