Community-acquired Klebsiella spp Meningitis/Invasive Infection in Filipino-descent Patients Living in Greece: A Case...

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Neurology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae causes a distinct invasive syndrome, including liver abscess and metastatic lesions, primarily in Southeast Asia.
• This syndrome is often associated with specific patient demographics like diabetics and alcoholics.
• Community-acquired Klebsiella meningitis is rare in Western countries, typically affecting individuals of Asian descent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on three cases of community-acquired invasive Klebsiella meningitis in Filipino patients residing in Greece.
• To highlight the occurrence of this rare but severe infection in a Western setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series analysis.
• Review of clinical data for three Filipino patients treated for invasive Klebsiella meningitis in a Greek ICU over a decade.

Main Results:

• Three cases of community-acquired invasive Klebsiella meningitis were identified in Filipino patients in Greece.
• These cases represent a rare occurrence of the invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae syndrome in a Western country.

Conclusions:

• Community-acquired Klebsiella spp meningitis carries a very poor prognosis.
• Physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for invasive Klebsiella infections in patients of Asian origin, irrespective of their current residence or recent travel history.