Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39899509›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Unique North American isolates of severe metastatic hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strain infections with hepatic abscesses seen in young patients within Texas.

Junaid M Alam, Eric N Riha, Haris Ahmed, Hong M Thai, Kevin Garnepudi, Ramesh B Kesavan, Gnananandh Jayaraman, Anna Sangster, Dylan Curry, Heidi A Butz and 5 more

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Rare case of multisystemicFrontiers in endocrinology · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Junaid M AlamInternal Medicine, HCA Houston Healthcare, Kingwood, TX, United States of America.
Eric N RihaInternal Medicine, HCA Houston Healthcare, Kingwood, TX, United States of America.
Haris AhmedInternal Medicine, HCA Houston Healthcare, Kingwood, TX, United States of America.
Hong M ThaiInternal Medicine, HCA Houston Healthcare, Kingwood, TX, United States of America.
Kevin GarnepudiInfectious Disease, HCA Houston Healthcare, Kingwood, TX, United States of America.
Ramesh B KesavanPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood, Kingwood, TX, United States of America.
Gnananandh JayaramanPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood, Kingwood, TX, United States of America.
Anna SangsterUtah Department of Health/ Utah Public Health Laboratory, Taylorsville, Utah, United States of America.
Dylan CurryUtah Department of Health/ Utah Public Health Laboratory, Taylorsville, Utah, United States of America.
Heidi A ButzUtah Department of Health/ Utah Public Health Laboratory, Taylorsville, Utah, United States of America.
Lori SmithUtah Department of Health/ Utah Public Health Laboratory, Taylorsville, Utah, United States of America.
Maureen VowlesUtah Department of Health/ Utah Public Health Laboratory, Taylorsville, Utah, United States of America.
Kelly F OakesonUtah Department of Health/ Utah Public Health Laboratory, Taylorsville, Utah, United States of America.
Erin L YoungUtah Department of Health/ Utah Public Health Laboratory, Taylorsville, Utah, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-7535-006X
Siva T SarvaPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood, Kingwood, TX, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0003-2922-078X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleHypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) infections have principally been identified in Asia. Within a two-month period, two patients between the ages of 30 to 50 years old presented to a tertiary referral hospital in Texas with septic shock, hepatic abscess, and septic thrombophlebitis. Blood cultures were positive for Klebsiella pneumoniae (isolates 2020CK-00441 and 2021CK-00720 respectively). The first patient survived after a prolonged hospital course while the second patient expired.

objectivesDescribe the clinical presentation of these two patients. Perform whole genome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis to evaluate potential outbreak of specific hvKp bacteria isolates.

methodsWhole genome sequencing was performed using both paired-end Illumina MiSeq and nanopore sequencing to obtain a Completed genome for both isolates. MAIN

results2020CK-00441 belonged to ST23 type while 2021CK-00720 was a ST65 type isolate. Kleborate analyses predicted with high confidence both isolates were hvKp. Phylogenetic analyses showed the two strains are not closely related to each other nor to any known hvKp isolates reported. Both isolates had yersiniabactin, colibactin, aerobactin and salmochelin producing loci which likely confer these isolates hvKp phenotype. 2020CK-00441 and 2021CK-00720 had a unique pK2044 like plasmid.

conclusionsHvKp strains capable of causing devastating metastatic septic infections have emerged in Texas. These isolates are unique compared to other hvKp strains globally. Country-wide surveillance and whole genome sequencing of these strains is essential to prevent a major public health emergency in the USA.

Indexed as

Klebsiella InfectionsKlebsiella pneumoniaeLiver AbscessAdultFatal OutcomeGenome, BacterialHumansMiddle AgedPhylogenyTexasVirulenceWhole Genome Sequencing

Identifiers

PMID39899509
PMCPMC11790080

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