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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2006, p. 102-107, Vol. 44, No. 1
0095-1137/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.44.1.102-107.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Seroepidemiology of Klebsiella pneumoniae in an Australian Tertiary Hospital and Its Implications for Vaccine Development

Adam W. Jenney,^1,2,3,4* Abigail Clements,^1,2,3 Jacinta L. Farn,^1,2,3 Odilia L. Wijburg,^1,2,3 Andrew McGlinchey,⁵ Denis W. Spelman,^4,5 Tyrone L. Pitt,⁶ Mary E. Kaufmann,⁶ Lisa Liolios,⁴ Margaret B. Moloney,^1,7 Steven L. Wesselingh,^1,4,8 and Richard A. Strugnell^1,2,3

CRC for Vaccine Technology, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia;,¹ Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia,² Australian Bacterial Pathogenesis Program, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia,³ Infectious Diseases Unit,⁴ Microbiology Department, The Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria 3181, Australia,⁵ Health Protection Agency, Colindale, London NW9 5HT, United Kingdom,⁶ CSL Ltd., Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia,⁷ The Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia⁸

Received 12 July 2005/ Returned for modification 6 September 2005/ Accepted 17 October 2005

The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of Klebsiella pneumoniae capsular serotypes in an Australian setting. Consecutive (n = 293) nonrepetitive isolates of K. pneumoniae from a large teaching hospital laboratory were analyzed. The majority of isolates were from urinary specimens (60.8%); the next most common source was sputum (14.3%), followed by blood (14%). Serotyping revealed a wide range of capsule types. K54 (17.1%), K28 (4.1%), and K17 (3.1%) were the most common, and K54 isolates displayed a high degree of clonality, suggesting a common, nosocomial source. In vitro, one K54 isolate was more adherent to urinary catheters and HEp-2 cells than four other tested isolates; it was slightly more resistant to chlorhexidine but was more susceptible to drying than heavily encapsulated strains. This is the first seroprevalence survey of K. pneumoniae to be performed on Australian isolates, and the high level of diversity of serotypes suggests that capsule-based immunoprophylaxis might not be useful for Australia. In addition there are significant differences in the predominance of specific serotypes compared to the results of surveys performed overseas, which has important implications for capsule-based immunoprophylaxis aimed at a global market.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology & Immunology, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. Phone: 61 3 8344 9916. Fax: 61 3 9347 1540. E-mail: a.jenney{at}pgrad.unimelb.edu.au.

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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2006, p. 102-107, Vol. 44, No. 1
0095-1137/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.44.1.102-107.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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