Klebocin typing of Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated from patients undergoing open-heart & brain surgery
Shanmugam, J.; Nair, A.; Sabherwal, U.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 78: 471-476
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 6365759 Document Number: 206465
K. pneumoniae strains (228) isolated from different clinical specimens of patients undergoing open-heart and brain surgery and from throat and nose of healthy carriers were subjected to klebocin typing, with mitomycin-C induced klebocins from 6 klebocin producer strains. The typability was 93.8% and 21 different types were found among 228 strains tested, 51.3% of the strains belonged to 3 highly prevalent types (113, 114 and 314), 38.2% to 6 less prevalent types (313, 312, 244, 444, 311 and 112) and the remaining 10.5% to 12 rare types. Types 113, 314, 313 and 444 were more commonly found among cardiac patients, while types 312 and 311 were found mostly among neurosurgery patients. The 12 rare types were represented by 1-5 strains only. The study revealed the clustering of certain types in the patients and the predeliction of some to certain sites of isolation. Among 30 strains serotyped (K), 30% of the clinical strains belonged to K-47 and K-57, and 30% of the carrier strains to K-2. No correlation was found between sero (K) and klebocin typing methods, except between K-2 and 114. Type 114 was probably responsible for most of the infections occurring during the first half of 1981. The klebocin typing, being simple and economical, will be of much use as an epidemiological tool in understanding nosocomial infections.