Metastatic Klebsiella Infection: A case report

ABSTRACT

Introduction@#A new hypervirulent (hypermucoviscous) variant of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pnuemoniae) had emerged. It has shown ability to cause serious infection in healthy ambulatory hosts as well as infect unusual sites. Though there have been numerous studies on severe infection by K. pneumoniae, little data has been documented on such infections involving Klebsiella oxytoca. (K. oxytoca). It is capable of causing metastatic spread of the infection even in healthy young individuals. This report was written to describe the clinical spectrum of a case of metastatic Klebsiella infection.@*Case presentation@#We illustrate a case of a 73-year-old diabetic and hypertensive female presenting with headache and eye discharge. She was initially managed as the case of conjunctivitis as out-patient. After three weeks of topical ophthalmic antibiotics, she developed decrease in sensorium leading to her eventual admission. Workup pointed towards a disseminated infection to the eye, brain, and urinary tract. The patient was placed on broad-spectrum antibiotics and a vitreous tap was done. However, the patient’s sensorium decreased further, and was eventually intubated and started on inotropes. The indolent course of the disease, which unfortunately led to the demise of the patient, directed the attending physicians to suspect a more virulent infection.@*Discussion@#Infection by hypervirulent variant of Klebsiella has been classically known to be nosocomial and opportunistic in nature. But cases have also been reported from the community setting. A common denominator in this population is that they are usually immunocompromised as in the case of our patient being elderly and diabetic. Unfortunately, there are no molecular or biochemical markers being used in the clinical setting to identify this strain. Hence, the attending physicians had to rely on the presentation of metastatic disease to diagnose our patient.@*Conclusion@#Early diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic treatment and drainage are keys in the management of these cases.