Primary pyogenic liver abscess caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae has recently become an emerging disease, which is often complicated by septic meningitis and endophthalmitis. K. pneumoniae is a significant cause of liver abscess. The invasive K. pneumoniae infections can attack healthy individuals, and some of its patient has a predisposing condition such as diabetes mellitus. According to these capsular polysaccharides, K. pneumoniae can be classified into 77 serological K antigen types. To

more »

... K serotype distribution of K. pneumoniae causing liver abscess is little known in Northeast of China. In our study, we performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genotyping to identify capsular serotypes, and present the current epidemiologic status of K. pneumoniae liver abscess in local area. Among the K. pneumoniae from 35 patients with liver abscess, we found 20 (57.1%) isolates of K1 serotype. Clinical characteristics [such as, age, sex, diabetes mellitus, Liver and biliary disease history, extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing and etc.] of patients with liver abscess of K. pneumoniae belonging to K1 or non-K1 serotype were also analyzed, but no significant difference was found. There are only three isolates of K. pneumoniae with ESBLs. In conclusion, K. pneumoniae K1 serotype is the major serotype causing liver abscess in local region.