25.09.2021

Frontiers in Microbiology | September 2021

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a well-studied human pathogen for which antimicrobial resistant and hypervirulent clones have emerged globally. K. pneumoniae is also present in a variety of environmental niches, but currently there is a lack of knowledge on the occurrence and characteristics of K. pneumoniae from non-human sources. Certain environmental niches, e.g., animals, may be associated with high K. pneumoniae abundance, and these can constitute a reservoir for further transmission of strains and genetic elements. Can poultry serve as a zoonotic reservoir?
A new study published by a Norwegian research group shows a highly diverse K. pneumoniae population in poultry, low levels of antimicrobial resistance, good biofilm-forming abilities and a novel hypervirulent ST4710 clone circulating in the turkey population. Overall, a higher occurrence of K. pneumoniae was detected in turkeys compared to broilers, suggesting turkey as a more important reservoir.